Should i be stretching my sprained ankle

Immediately after an ankle injury, the most important factor will be rest. Once doctors diagnose a sprained ankle, the person should rest for a few days. Some home remedies may aid recovery. Elevating the foot may help reduce swelling.

Placing an ice pack wrapped in a towel on the area for about 10 minutes every few hours can also help reduce swelling and pain. Over-the-counter OTC drugs, such as ibuprofen Advil or acetaminophen Tylenol , can also help with the pain. A few days of rest is usually enough for most people with mild to moderate sprains.

After a few days, the person may begin gentle exercises to help rehabilitate the ankle. Healing of the ligaments usually takes about 6 weeks. The rehabilitation phase is just as important as the rest phase, as it helps the injured ankle regain strength. Click here to learn more about tips for healing a sprained ankle. The ankle is a complex joint.

Recovery from an ankle injury will require the person to focus on four factors:. Each of these functions is crucial for a healthy ankle joint. Different exercises will focus on one or more of these factors. Exercise therapy is an essential part of the healing process. A review posted to the British Journal of Sports Medicine notes that there is strong evidence that exercise therapy can help treat an ankle sprain.

Exercise helps strengthen the ankle and prevent recurring sprains or other issues. A small study also supports the use of exercise as an effective treatment for ankle sprains. A study suggests that failure to exercise an ankle sprain could lead to the development of chronic ankle instability, which may require surgery.

While a person may experience slight discomfort while doing these exercises, they should not cause pain. Anyone who feels pain while exercising should stop and rest the ankle. Following an injury, the ankle is going to be stiff and have a limited range of motion. It is essential to perform exercises to help restore a normal range of motion. One simple range of motion exercise involves making clockwise and counterclockwise circles with the foot and ankle. To do this exercise, sit in a comfortable chair or on the couch, holding the foot off the ground.

Begin by slowly making large circles, clockwise, with your foot and ankle. Another effective range of motion exercises involves drawing or writing letters, numbers, or other characters with the foot. Trace each letter of the alphabet in the air with the foot, using the big toe as cursor or pencil. Sit in a chair with the feet flat on the floor. Without raising the foot, move the leg at the knee from side to side gently.

Do this for 3 minutes if it causes no pain. The ankle needs to be strong so that it can help support the weight of the body when a person undertakes daily activities.

Usually, a person can begin strength training once they can stand on the ankle without pain or increasing swelling. Sitting on a hard chair, such as a kitchen chair, place a hand towel on the floor in front of the chair. Another form of this activity is to use the foot to pick up marbles from the ground and place them in a cup. Sit on the floor with the feet straight in front of the body, resting against the wall.

Studies have shown that people return to their normal activities sooner when their treatment emphasizes restoring ankle function — often with the aid of splints, braces, taping, or elastic bandages — rather than immobilization such as use of a plaster cast. Called functional treatment, this strategy usually involves three phases: the RICE regimen in the first 24 hours to reduce pain, swelling, and risk of further injury; range-of-motion and ankle strengthening exercises within 48—72 hours; and training to improve endurance and balance once recovery is well under way.

Generally, you can begin range-of-motion and stretching exercises within the first 48 hours and should continue until you're as free of pain as you were before your sprain. Start to exercise seated on a chair or on the floor. As your sprained ankle improves, you can progress to standing exercises. If your symptoms aren't better in two to four weeks, you may need to see a physical therapist or other specialist. Rest the heel of the injured foot on the floor. Pull your toes and foot toward your body as far as possible.

Then point them away from the body as far as possible. Repeat as often as possible in the first week. Ankle alphabet. With the heel on the floor, write all the capital letters of the alphabet with your big toe, making the letters as large as you can. Press down, pull back.

Loop an elasticized band or tubing around the foot, holding it gently taut A. Press your toes away and down. Hold for a few seconds. Repeat 30 times. Tie one end of the band to a table or chair leg B. Loop the other end around your foot. Slowly pull the foot toward you. Ankle eversion. Seated on the floor, with an elasticized band or tubing tied around the injured foot and anchored around your uninjured foot, slowly turn the injured foot outward.

Ankle inversion. Seated on the floor, cross your legs with your injured foot underneath. With an elasticized band or tubing around the injured foot and anchored around your uninjured foot, slowly turn the injured foot inward.

Standing stretch. Stand one arm's length from the wall. Place the injured foot behind the other foot, toes facing forward. Keep your heels down and the back knee straight.

Slowly bend the front knee until you feel the calf stretch in the back leg. Hold for 15—20 seconds. Repeat 3—5 times. Seated stretch. Loop an elasticized band or tubing around the ball of the foot.

Keeping the knee straight, slowly pull back on the band until you feel the upper calf stretch. Hold for 15 seconds. Repeat 15—20 times. Stand facing a wall with your hands on the wall for balance. Rise up on your toes. Hold for 1 second, then lower yourself slowly to the starting position. Repeat 20—30 times. As you become stronger, do this exercise keeping your weight on just the injured side as you lower yourself down.

Stand with your toes and the ball of the affected foot on a book or the edge of a stair. Author: Healthwise Staff. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information.

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Top of the page Actionset. Sprained Ankle: Rehabilitation Exercises. Introduction Ankle sprains are common injuries that can result in lifelong problems. You can begin healing by walking or bearing some weight, while using crutches if needed, if you can do so without too much pain.

Start rehab with range-of-motion exercises in the first 72 hours after your injury. Continue with further rehab, including stretching, strength training, and balance exercises, over the next several weeks to months. You can do rehab exercises at home or even at the office to strengthen your ankle. How to do rehabilitation exercises for an ankle sprain Start each exercise slowly and use your pain level to guide you in doing these exercises. Range-of-motion exercises Range-of-motion exercises begin right after your injury.

Try the following simple range-of-motion exercises : Trace the alphabet with your toe, which encourages ankle movement in all directions. Trace the alphabet 1 to 3 times. Sit in a chair with your foot flat on the floor. Slowly move your knee side to side while keeping your foot pressed flat. Continue for 2 to 3 minutes. Stretching exercises Start exercises to stretch your Achilles tendon as soon as you can do so without pain.

Towel stretch. Sit with your leg straight in front of you. Place a rolled towel under the ball of your foot, holding the towel at both ends. Gently pull the towel toward you while keeping your knee straight. Hold this position for 15 to 30 seconds, and repeat 2 to 4 times. In moderate to severe ankle sprains, it may be too painful at first to pull your toes far enough to feel a stretch in your calf. Use caution, and let pain be your guide.