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How do you sprain your ankle in basketball
How do you sprain your ankle in basketball
Ankle Sprains (for Teens) - Nemours KidsHealth
Reviewed by: Cassidy Foley Davelaar, DO
en español Esguinces de tobillo
What Is an Ankle Sprain?
An ankle sprain is when the ligaments that support the ankle get overly stretched or torn. It can happen when you step in a hole, twist your ankle while walking or running, or put your weight down on your foot awkwardly.
When most ankle sprains happen, the ankle is flexed and inverted (the foot turned inward toward the opposite foot). Ankle sprains are common, making up 25% of all sports-related injuries.
With rest and proper treatment, most ankle sprains heal within 4–6 weeks. But some can take longer.
What Are the Signs & Symptoms of an Ankle Sprain?
The signs of an ankle sprain depend on how serious it is. Common symptoms include:
- pain
- soreness
- swelling
- trouble bearing weight or walking on the ankle
- bruising
What Causes Ankle Sprains?
Most ankle sprains happen when the ankle twists, or when the foot rolls onto its side.![]()
Most happen during athletic activities. But you don't have to be playing sports to injure an ankle — sprains can happen from taking an awkward step or tripping on the stairs.
How Are Ankle Sprains Diagnosed?
To diagnose ankle sprains, doctors ask about the injury and do an exam. They'll check the bones and soft tissue of the ankle, watch the person's range of motion, and do strength tests.
Sometimes, the doctor may order an X-ray or other imaging study to see if there are other injuries, such as a broken bone.
How Are Ankle Sprains Treated?
Treatment for an ankle sprain usually includes:
- protecting the ankle by taping, wearing a lace-up ankle brace, or ankle splint
- rest to prevent reinjury and limit swelling. How long somebody needs to take it easy depends on the injury. If no ligaments tore, 10–14 days might be long enough.
- pain medicine
- treatments to help with swelling such as:
- ice wrapped in a towel placed on the area for about 20 minutes every 1–2 hours
- an elastic bandage wrapped around the area or elastic sleeve to provide compression
- raising the injured area
- warm compresses or a heating pad (only after the swelling goes down)
- when the pain and swelling are better, stretching exercises
- before returning to activity, strengthening exercises
Doctors may treat a more serious ankle sprain with a splint or temporary cast.
Very rarely, a person might need surgery.
Can I Go Back to Sports?
If you have an ankle sprain, you'll probably need to take some time off from sports and other strenuous physical activities. Make sure your sprained ankle is completely healed first.
You can go back when:
- The swelling goes down.
- The sport does not cause pain.
- The doctor says it's OK.
- You can bear weight without a limp.
- You have your full range of motion.
- Your strength returns to normal.
Can I Prevent a Sprained Ankle?
It's impossible to prevent all ankle sprains. But these tips can make another one less likely:
- Stretch regularly to keep your ankles flexible.
- Do ankle range of motion and strengthening exercises to keep your muscles strong.
- Always warm up before playing sports, exercising, or doing any other kind of physical activity.
- Watch your step when you're walking or running on uneven or cracked surfaces.
- Don't overdo things. Being tired can make an injury more likely.
- Use tape, lace-up ankle braces, or high-top shoes to support the ankle.
- Wear shoes that fit well. Tie any laces and close any Velcro or other straps to make the shoes as supportive as possible.
- Don't wear shoes with high heels.
What Else Should I Know?
Not overdoing things is key when it comes to sprains. So follow your doctor's advice and don't push yourself or feel pressure to get back into sports or other activities too soon. Sprains usually heal well, but they need time to get fully better.
Reviewed by: Cassidy Foley Davelaar, DO
Date reviewed: November 2019
Ankle Sprains in Basketball | Revive Physio Therapy and Pilates
As physios, ankle sprains are one of the most common sporting basketball injuries we see! However, we find its prevalence may be responsible for the public’s relaxed attitude to the management of this injury, and hence a high recurrence rate.
It is said only 50% of people suffering an ankle sprain seek medical attention!! As a consequence of repeated untreated ankle sprains, ankle instability, chronic ankle pain and swelling become an all too common presentation. The best way to avoid this is to get assessed early!
Getting assessed as soon as possible from your physio, helps you get an accurate diagnosis of the severity of your injury. The severity of the injury will then determine whether you need to be sent off for an x-ray of not, with the majority of patients falling into the latter category. From here, early treatment will also help minimise that horrible pain and swelling that comes on in those initial 1-2 days. We may recommend you use crutches, ice packs, bandages/tape aka RICE. After the acute phase passes comes the bit most people skip…regaining the movement and strength in your ankle. If you just wait until it feels better to return to sport, then there is a fair chance you are running around on a stiff and weak ankle.
This can then be a ticking time bomb for another, more severe sprain or at a minimum, a re-aggravation of the previous injury which = more time on the sidelines.
So, if learning about how best to manage your ankle sprain for an optimal return to basketball is of interest to you, please READ ON for a more detailed explanation on all things ankle sprains, including tips on how to prevent it reoccurring!
Image credit: East Bay Times
The what and the how…
No doubt you know what ligaments are, or have heard of them – they are strong, fibrous tissues that connect bones to other bones. The ligaments in the ankle help to keep the bones in proper position and stabilise the joint. An ankle sprain occurs when your ankle ligaments are overstretched. They vary in severity, from a mild sprain (the twisted or rolled ankle) through to severe (complete ligament ruptures, avulsions, and fractures).
Lateral ankle ligaments
The outside (lateral side) of the ankle is stabilised by three smaller ligaments: the anterior talofibular (at the front), the calcaneofibular (at the side) and the posterior talofibular (at the back).
Sprains to any of these ligaments are called inversion sprains. This is where the foot twists inwards. These types of sprains account for more than 80% of all ankle sprains. Inversion ankle sprains can occur simply by rolling your ankle on some unstable ground, awkwardly planting your foot when running, landing unbalanced from a jump or landing on an opponent’s foot after jumping.
The most commonly injured ligament is the anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL). Injury to the ATFL can cause swelling and pain on the outside of the ankle. If the force is more severe, the calcaneofibular ligament is also likely to be damaged. The posterior talofibular ligament is less likely to be sprained. A complete tear of all ligaments may result in a dislocation of the ankle joint and an accompanying fracture!
Medial ankle ligaments
On the inside of the ankle (medial side), the joint is stabilised by a thick, strong ligament called the deltoid ligament. Sprains to the deltoid ligament are called eversion sprains.
This is where the foot twists outward. These types of sprains account for less than 20% of all ankle sprains. These are less likely to occur but when they do, are often more severe and have a longer recovery time.
Image credit: http://sma.org.au
Have you sprained your ankle? These are the key questions…
Did your ankle roll inwards or outwards?
Did you may hear a popping or cracking sound?
Did your ankle swell up?
Did bruising develop?
Are your lateral or medial ligaments tender?
Image credit: http://orthoinfo.aaos.org
Do I need an X-Ray?
X-Rays aren’t routinely required for ankle sprains and are one of the most over-prescribed investigation. After an examination from your physio or GP, an X-Ray may be ordered if you have boney tenderness in specific locations around your ankle, or if you are unable to weight bear through your foot. The X-Ray is taken because damage to a bone can cause similar symptoms (pain and swelling) to an ankle sprain.
The management of an ankle fracture however, is different from a sprain and may require a surgical review.
An MRI can be taken if you are suspected of having a severe ankle sprain, if damage to your ankle joint cartilage or if a small bone chip is suspected.
How bad is my ankle sprain?
Grades of ankle sprains
After your assessment, your physio can determine the grade of your sprain to help develop a treatment plan. Sprains are graded based on how much damage has occurred to the ligaments.
Grade 1 Sprain (Mild)
- Slight stretching and microscopic tearing of the ligament fibres
- Mild tenderness and swelling around the ankle
- Mild pain with weight bearing
- Slight loss of balance
Grade 2 Sprain (Moderate)
- Partial tearing of the ligament
- Moderate tenderness and swelling around the ankle
- Moderate loss of ankle range of movement
- Poor balance
- Pain with weight bearing
Grade 3 Sprain (Severe)
- Complete tear of the ligament
- Significant tenderness and swelling around the ankle
- Gross instability of the joint
- Possible pain with weight bearing
- Very poor balance
I’ve sprained my ankle…What now?
The good news is almost all ankle sprains can be treated without surgery.
Even a complete ligament tear can heal without surgical repair if it is immobilised appropriately. Firstly, you need to follow the RICE protocol as soon as possible after your injury for first 48-72 hours:
- REST your ankle by not walking on it or using crutches
- ICE should be immediately applied to keep the swelling down. It can be used for 20 to 30 minutes, three or four times daily. Do not apply ice directly to your skin
- COMPRESSION dressings, bandages or tape will immobilise and support your injured ankle
- ELEVATE your ankle above the level of your heart as often as possible during the first 48 hours
After RICE, your physio will take you through a 3-phase treatment program:
Phase 1: Resting, protecting the ankle and reducing the swelling. Your physio might tape your ankle, fit a brace or boot, perform oedema massage, apply therapeutic ultrasound and commence you on a rehab program.
Phase 2: Restoring range of motion, strength and flexibility. Your physio might perform ankle mobilisations, frictions and other massage techniques, apply ultrasound and progress your rehab program.
Phase 3: Gradual return to sport. Your physio will progress your rehab program and include sport-specific training drills to perform. You may still require massage and mobilisations, as your ankle returns to full strength. Your physio will also advise on whether taping and bracing is still required, and if so, for how long.
Image credit: SF Chronicle
Recovery may take just 1 to 2 weeks for minor sprains, 3 to 4 weeks for moderate sprains or up to 6 to 12 weeks for more severe injuries.
To prevent re-occurrence, prevention is the key!
The best way to prevent ankle sprains is to:
- not return to sport until you have been cleared to play by your physiotherapist
- maintain good muscle strength, balance (proprioception) and flexibility
- warm up thoroughly before exercise and physical activity
- be cautious when walking, running, or working on uneven surfaces
- wear shoes that are made for your activity
- tape or use an ankle brace if you have a history of ankle sprains
Key Take Home Messages…
- Ankle sprains are common and can be managed very well with a combination of early functional immobilisation, controlling inflammation and progressing to weight bearing type exercises as soon as possible
- Prevention of chronic ankle instability and injury should include progressive ankle strengthening that also have neuromuscular and proprioceptive exercises that challenge and stimulate the balance systems
Hopefully today’s blog has provided you with some helpful knowledge in the diagnosis and management of ankle sprains.
Most of the time, the sooner you see your physiotherapist for an assessment and commence treatment, the quicker your recovery time can be!
Ankle Injury - All About Basketball
Ankle Injury
Day One
Apply ice to the ankle (for 15 minutes every 4 hours) to relieve both pain and swelling. At the same time, a heating pad, bubble or other container with ice should be wrapped with a cloth so as not to overcool the joint. Keep the injured ankle higher: the outflow of blood from the joint will prevent swelling from developing. Of the medicines, you can recommend the gel "Troxevasin" - for rubbing into the ankle joint (once a day is enough).
Second day
It can be started with the same gel. It is advisable not to disturb the leg with long walking. And if an urgent matter calls you on the road, fix your ankle with an elastic (necessarily elastic, not simple) bandage: there is less danger of twisting your leg again, and stepping on it is not so painful.
It is better to bandage in the morning, right in bed: slightly raise the toe of the foot and wind the bandage from the base of the fingers to the ankle joint; the next layer of bandage overlaps the previous one by 2-3 centimeters; cutting the end of the bandage along, fix the bandage around the leg. You need to bandage for the whole day, that is, not tight - otherwise the blood will not flow into the fingers (a sign of this is their blueness). Be sure to remove the bandage at night so that the leg rests.
Day Three
Bandage the ankle again. (Keep doing this if the pain doesn't go away when walking.)
Day Four
It's time to start massaging the ankle and foot to increase blood flow to the sprained ligaments. By supplying damaged tissues with nutrients, you will speed up their recovery. At the beginning of the massage, lubricate your hands with oil or cream, which contains camphor.
Day Five - Fifteenth
You have already understood: massage should be done daily during the entire recovery period.
And it’s great if it becomes a habit for you - it will benefit not only the ankle, but the whole body. After all, there are multiple nerve endings in the foot, and by reflexively influencing the spine, we can simultaneously influence the internal organs. Therefore, it is recommended to massage not only the injured, but also the healthy leg. You just need to master a few simple tricks:
1. Gently massage the area of the ankle joint of the injured leg (with both hands) from the bottom up.
2. Grasp the foot so that the thumbs are on the sole and the other fingers and palm are on the instep of the foot. Thoroughly knead and rub the sole with your thumbs. (The same on the other foot.)
3. Grab the heel by placing the fingers of the hand (excluding the big one) along the sole. Move them up and down, knead-rub the soles of one foot, then the other.
4. Applaud! 50 hand claps on one sole, then on the other will improve your mood. Fold your palm in a boat to make the clap louder.
5. Warm up the feet by rubbing and kneading the soles, then place the palm of the hand on the back of the foot so that the fingers and toes are parallel. Rub the upper surface of the fingers (from the ends to the base), then with bent fingers and a sharp movement of the wrist joint and palm, stretch and bend inward the toes (excluding the big one). Repeat the same with the other foot.
6. Sit on a chair, put your foot on the thigh of the other leg, without bending at the waist as much as possible. Putting 4 fingers together, put them between the big and other toes, inhale and with increasing effort “tear off” the big toe, twisting and bending it. Relax, exhale. Repeat the exercise with the big toe of the other foot.
7. Place four fingers on the sole, thumb on the back of the foot, and with your thumb, turn your toes toward you in turn (starting with the little finger). In conclusion, rub the surfaces of the toes adjacent to each other with the index finger of the hand.
First on one leg, then on the other.
Sixth day and beyond…
Now thermal procedures can be added to the treatment. Every day, immerse the recovering ankle for 10-15 minutes in not too hot water, or even better - in water with horse chestnut extract, horsetail, phytosols (there are a lot of them in modern pharmacies, for every taste), sea or table salt (1 tbsp. l per 1 liter of water). But still ...
... stretched, much less torn ligaments should be shown to the doctor. Maybe he will prescribe you an additional course of physiotherapy. And most importantly, he will control the healing process. An untreated sprain is fraught with weakening of the ligaments - the leg will tuck at the slightest unevenness in the relief (do you need it?).
Strengthen your ankle!
A great way is walking on a log, more precisely, on a tree trunk. It is desirable that the tree is not too thin, that it lies on the ground, and that you move along it in sports shoes or, even better, barefoot.
Trying to maintain balance, you will tense the muscles of the ankle - and this is the perfect way to strengthen it. It is useful to run barefoot on water or sand, walk on the ground, on grass, on pebbles.
Source: www.slamdunk.ru/forum
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What can and cannot be done if you twisted your leg
Sprained your leg? This can cause seconds of pain or weeks of recovery due to torn ligaments. We explain what to do if you sprained your leg, and what determines the severity of the consequences.
This has probably happened to everyone: you are walking, it would seem, on a flat surface, without looking under your feet, and suddenly - on a bump that you did not notice, the foot turns to the side, it pierces with a sharp pain. This means that you twisted your leg. Today we will find out what happens in this case, whether such an injury is dangerous and what to do if it does happen.
What does it mean to “tuck your leg”
"Turn the foot" is not a medical term, as such a combination of words means only a mechanical process of how you can turn the foot in an unusual and unsafe way for it. This usually occurs when touching a surface that a person is walking on, although in some sports (such as football), similar injuries can occur when touching a ball or any other object.
So the tucking of the leg itself is not dangerous, but the damage that this can cause to the ankle joint and surrounding tissues is dangerous. The ligamentous apparatus suffers most often, less often bones, muscles and nerves. It is from the fact that that is injured and how badly that the consequences of the injury depend.
What can be damaged
All the consequences of such an injury are assumed by the ankle joint. It is located near the ankle and connects the bones of the lower leg and foot.
Alas, this is a rather fragile and generally problematic joint. In order for us to walk easily and freely, it must be quite mobile and therefore consists of small bones, which together form a complex system. The situation is aggravated by the fact that the ankle joint has the weight of the whole body, and during loads like running or even fast walking, the pressure on the joint only increases. So the consequences of twisting the leg are injuries in the ankle joint: sprains, tears and even torn ligaments, as well as dislocation of the leg and, in the worst case, bone fractures.
In most cases, the foot turns inward, resulting in damage to the ligaments on the opposite (outer) side of the leg. This can lead to their stretching, tearing or even rupture (sometimes a click or crunch is heard at the time of injury). As a rule, the stronger and sharper the leg is twisted, the worse the consequences for the ligaments. If the ligaments cannot compensate for too sharp a turn in the joint, it may dislocate, and if a person has a tendency to brittle bones, even nearby bones may break.
In a word, the consequences can be very different: from mild to quite serious.
What to do if you twist your leg
If you just twisted your leg, after ten seconds the pain goes away and you can move on - nothing needs to be done. However, if the pain still persists, you need to examine the leg in the area of the affected ankle joint.
First of all, we pay attention to the nature of the pain. Suspicious is pain that remains severe for an hour, appears and intensifies when you try to step on the injured leg. Even touching the skin near the ankle can be painful. This may be accompanied by bruising and swelling of the tissues around. A more formidable symptom is a change in the shape of the joint and a violation of its mobility (especially the appearance of new, previously impossible movements - say, an unusual deviation to the side). In the most severe case, even the shape of adjacent bones can change - this already suggests a fracture.
If you twist your leg and it continues to hurt, there are four things you need to do:
- Let it rest. Try to walk less in the next couple of days, ideally, activity in the affected ankle joint should generally be minimized.
- Cool the joint area. Ice is best for this, but you can also use a towel soaked in cold water. During the first day, apply it on the ankle for 15-20 minutes every 3 hours. However, do not overdo it: if the skin is very pale, immediately remove the ice from the leg and warm it up.
- Put something heavy on your leg. It can be tight stockings, compression stockings or a tight bandage - the goal is to prevent excessive swelling around the ankle joint from developing. The compression should be tight, but not too squeezing, otherwise there will be a threat of impaired blood flow.
- Elevate the affected foot to avoid swelling. We are not talking about the fact that you need to lift it high: a pillow placed under the leg is enough.
If the pain seems too strong for you, in the absence of contraindications, you can take painkillers from the group of nonsteroidal drugs: paracetamol, ibuprofen and others. There are also local ointments and gels with a similar effect.
There are also a few things that you should NOT do:
- Warm baths in the early days are contraindicated. Warm water activates the blood supply to the damaged area, which threatens to increase swelling and inflammation.
- You don't have to keep walking and exercising a lot while overcoming the pain. So there is a risk of additional damage to an already diseased joint, which threatens to aggravate existing injuries.
- Massage in the area of injury may not be very helpful at first either. The reasons are the same - massage improves the blood supply to the tissues, and this is not at all what we need: it will increase inflammation, swelling and may even cause bruising.
- There is one more thing to avoid: staying too long.
Rest in the first day or two is necessary, but in the subsequent gradual increase in activity in the ankle only contributes to healing. The only exception will be the most severe injuries, when the pain simply does not allow walking, but in such cases it is also impossible to lie at home - you should consult a doctor.
When to seek medical help
The most common ankle injury, a sprain, usually resolves on its own with no sequelae. However, in some cases, the injury can be much more serious, and one cannot do without going to the doctors. Here are some signs of such an injury:
- if, after an injury, unusual movements become possible in the joint, its stability is impaired;
- if there is visible bone deformity;
- if on the second day, when touching the skin over the damaged joint, severe pain persists;
- if, after 4 days, the affected leg is still difficult to step on;
- if you are in severe pain, swelling or bleeding;
- if you find that all or part of your foot is numb (a sign of nerve damage).
In all these cases, you should consult a traumatologist. He should ask you about the circumstances of the injury and will most likely take an x-ray. As a rule, these data are enough to make a diagnosis, but sometimes additional studies may be required: ultrasound of the joint, CT or MRI.
If you do not have any of the above symptoms, it is worth waiting and seeing how your ankle behaves. There is evidence that in case of damage to the ligaments, the examination after 5 days is more informative than the examination during the first 2 days. So if there are no pronounced symptoms, in the first days you can wait for the pain to disappear.
How to Prevent Ankle Injuries
If you often twist your foot, you need to think about how to protect yourself from ankle injuries. Their insidiousness also lies in the fact that once you damage this joint, you make it much more prone to injury in the future.
According to statistics, up to 80% of people who injure their ankle will injure it again in the future.
Most ankle injuries do not occur during sports, but in everyday life - even when walking on level ground. But when it comes to sports, the highest risk of injury is in tennis players, basketball players, soccer players, and jumpers. These athletes should pay special attention to the ankle joints.
A few simple steps to prevent ankle injuries:
- Wear only comfortable shoes. If you have flat feet, use orthopedic insoles. And women need to know that wearing high-heeled shoes for a long time makes the ankle joint and adjacent bones much more vulnerable.
- Strengthen your ankle muscles. For this, whole complexes of very simple exercises have been developed that can protect against injuries: after all, it is the muscles that protect the joint from damage.
- If you play sports, do not neglect the warm-up before training.
