A sprained ankle can feel a lot like a broken ankle. If you sprain your ankle, you may want to go to the podiatrist to be sure it was in fact a sprain, rather than a break to ensure you are receiving the proper treatment. A break can sometimes heal on its own, but it may also need surgery. See the podiatrist to be properly diagnosed and treated for your injury. If you had a sprained ankle, there's a good chance you could sprain it again. If you sprain it once, your ankle may be weakened, and the slightest fall or wrong move can end up spraining it again. To prevent this from happening, you need to be careful and take precautions. Read on for tips to prevent a future ankle sprain.
Stretch To Strengthen
Stretching your ankles and adding movement can actually strengthen them. Just as with any of your ligaments, if you don't use them enough, they can tighten and weaken, easily causing them to strain when you do finally use them. Stretching your ankle can help keep the ligaments in your ankle loose and prevent injury. To stretch your ankle, you can sit in a chair, or on the floor, or even on the couch. Lift one of your feet up off of the floor and rotate your foot in a circle going clockwise, then counter-clockwise. Move your foot in a circle to stretch the ankle, then move to the other foot. Toe points can also help with strength. Point your toe towards the floor, then up to the ceiling. Repeat these motions daily for increased ankle flexibility.
Keep Heels Low And Wear Supportive Shoes
Those high heels aren't doing your feet or ankles any favors and could be causing them to weaken, or leave your ankles open to injury. Keep your heels low, to under 2 inches, if you can. Spiked heels are also a no-no. Your heels should be a little chunky to help offer your foot and ankle support. Also wear shoes that offer support on all sides of the foot to prevent your feet from sliding out from the shoe and causing you injury. Change old shoes for new ones that aren't worn out on the sides of the soles. This is especially true in your athletic shoes.
You don't have to walk around on pins and needles trying to avoid cracks and stepping lightly after a sprained ankle, but you do have to be more careful. Strengthen your ankles and wear supportive shoes. Schedule an appointment at your local foot doctor office for helpful tips to prevent a future sprain.
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