Physical therapy for treating a rolled ankle in Ada, MI

You can hurt your ankle in several different ways. One of the most common ways of causing harm in your ankle is to roll it while walking, running or jumping. Rolling your ankle occurs when you put weight on your ankle while your foot is rotated inward or outward. The foot may be rotated due to a misstep, tripping or coming down incorrectly from jumping or falling.

Rolling the ankle causes an injury to the ligaments in the ankle that is known as a sprain. When you sprain your ankle, the ligaments stretch or tear, which is painful and limits your range of motion. There are varying degrees of sprains, ranging from a minor sprain to a full-blown tear of the ligament. In all cases of ligament sprains, physical therapists can help you recover.

Treating a rolled ankle with physical therapy

Physical therapists specialize in treating injuries and physical conditions with noninvasive techniques. These techniques are designed to improve the strength, flexibility, balance and coordination of your body to help you recover from injuries and prevent future injuries. A sprained ankle can take several months to fully recover, but your recovery outcome can be improved with physical therapy.

At Advent Physical Therapy in Ada, Michigan, our team members develop personalized treatments for patients with sprained ankles. Depending on the severity of your sprain and other factors like medical history, your treatment may include:

• Therapeutic exercise — Gentle exercises and stretches can improve the strength of the muscles surrounding your ankle. This helps improve structural support for the ankle, which can reduce some pressure off the injured ligaments. Exercising also helps prevent inactive muscles from atrophying while the ankle recovers.
• Manual therapy — Physical therapists can use their hands to gently manipulate and mobilize the soft tissue and joint of your ankle. There are a variety of manual therapy treatments that help reduce pain from the injury and improve your range of motion.
• Assistive device education — While recovering from a rolled ankle, you may need to use assistive devices like crutches or a cane. A physical therapist can show you how to use these devices safely to avoid falls and accidents that may cause further harm.
• Balance training — Difficulty balancing increases your fall potential and the risk of spraining your ankle again in the future. Physical therapists can help you improve your balance to decrease the risk of a future injury.

Visit Advent Physical Therapy in Ada, MI, for rolled ankle treatment

Have you recently rolled your ankle and sprained it? Overcoming a sprained ankle can be a long and challenging process, but it is easier with a physical therapist at your side. Contact our team today for more information about rolled ankle treatment or to schedule an initial appointment.