(Pictured: DRIVE Strength and Conditioning Coach Isaac Payne works with DRIVE Camper Bryan Gill during a recent Sunday Night Personal Workout.)
DRIVE INJURY PREVENTION AND REHABILITATION
What’s up DRIVE family! In the short time that I’ve spent with you guys in the Dungeon I have noticed hat a lot of you are suffering from various aches and pains. There is probably no greater limitation to reaching your full athletic potential than being injured. In general, injuries are unpredictable, have varying degrees of severity, and usually hang around a lot longer than necessary. Don’t be discouraged though; even the greatest some of the greatest athletes (i.e. Vince Carter, Grant Hill) are sidelined from time to time with the odd sprain or fracture. However, just like the pros, you don’t have to let injuries be a major setback in your athletic careers if you take the appropriate steps. In DRIVE’s Injury Prevention and Rehabilitation you will be educated on the causes of various basketball-related injuries as well as basic injury treatment and prevention methods. Don’t let injuries be an excuse anymore, use these tools as platform to a long lasting and pain free athletic career.
ANKLE SPRAINS
The ankle sprain is disputably the most common basketball injury. Far too often you hear a bout a player that landed on another player’s foot after pulling down a rebound or rolled their foot over trying to make a hard cut. From time to time, you even hear about the odd player getting their ankles “broken” trying to defend a crossover (DRIVE players are far too quick and agile for that to ever happen). I’m sure you’re all familiar with these common causes of ankle sprains more specifically inversion ankle sprains.
An inversion ankle sprain is an overstretching or complete tearing of one or more ligaments on the outside or lateral portion of the ankle due to the foot rolling inwards or inverting.
The severity of an ankle sprain can be graded based on how many ligaments have been stretched or torn. A grade 1 ankle sprain usually involves minor stretching of one or two ligaments. A grade 2 sprain involves a partial or complete tear of one ligament and stretching of another. A grade 3 ankle sprain is the most severe and involves a complete tear of at least two ligaments and a partial tearing of another. Below is a picture displaying the various ligaments of the ankle joint and the basic grading system used when specific ligaments are injured.
Functional Anatomy of the Ankle:
Classification of ankle sprains
- A Grade 1 sprain involves the overstretching of the anterior talofibular ligament (most commonly sprained ligament) and the calcaneofibular ligament.
- A Grade 2 ankle sprain involves a partial or complete tear of the anterior talofibular ligament and an over stretched calcaneofibular ligament.
- A Grade 3 sprain involves a complete tear of the anterior talofibular and calcaneofibular ligaments as well as an overstretching or partial tearing of other ligaments .
SIGNS, SYMPTOMS, AND BASIC MANAGEMENT
Grade 1
Signs and symptoms – mild pain, weight bearing is minimally impaired. Some swelling and tenderness over the injured ligament. No joint instability.
Management –Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation (RICE) for at least 15-20 minutes every few hours for one or two days. Limit weight-bearing activities for one or two days. When ankle is no longer swollen and pain is reduced active rehabilitation can begin. Usually athlete can return to play in 7-10 days.
Grade 2
Signs and symptoms – the athlete usually complains of a pop or snap on the outside of the ankle. Moderate pain and disability. Weight bearing is more difficult. There is tenderness, swelling and possible discoloration due to bleeding in the joint.
This injury, if not properly treated, can result in highly unstable ankles that repeatedly become injured and can later develop into various forms of arthritis.
Management – RICE every few hours for at least 3 days. An x-ray is recommended to rule out the possibility of a fracture. Try to use crutches for at least 5-10 days to minimize weight bearing. Light range of motion exercises should begin approximately 2 days after injury occurred. Effective rehabilitation must take place to avoid chronic symptoms and minimize the risk of re-injury.
Grade 3
Signs and symptoms – severe pain and inability to weight bear. Large amounts of swelling, discoloration, and joint instability.
Management – RICE for at least 3 days. Some sort of weight bearing brace or cast is usually applied for 3-6 weeks followed by taping for 3-6 weeks. Due to joint instability, the ankle is prone to many degenerative processes.
BASIC PREVENTION AND REHABILITATION EXERCISES
It is quite common for players to complain about nagging ankle pain or stiffness as a result of an injury they suffered in months or years past. This usually can be attributed to a number of things such as:
- the ankle was immobilized for too long after the initial injury
- improper or no progressive rehabilitation was performed
- the athlete returned to activity too soon
It is extremely important that once the pain, swelling, and tenderness are minimized and weight bearing is tolerable that you try to regain the strength, stability, and range of motion in your ankle joint as soon as possible. Doing this will reduce the risk of developing chronic symptoms, re-injury, and joint degeneration. The following are some exercises that can be performed to enhance the strength, stability and range of motion in your ankles. As well, always remember that PREVENTION is the best medicine. Having said this, all of these exercises can and should be performed for rehabilitation as well as preventative purposes.
Please note:
This is not a full rehabilitation program but simply some basic guidelines to aid in prevention and recovery. You should consult your family physician or a physiotherapist before undergoing any extensive rehabilitation program.
Ankle inversion - Tie a piece of theraband or tubing to a firm apparatus and then wrap it around the inside of your foot.
Slowly turn your foot inwards without moving your lower leg. This will help to strengthen the muscles and tendons on the inside of the ankle. Repeat for 3 sets of 20.
Ankle eversion - Apply the theraband or tubing to the outside of your foot.
Slowly turn your foot outwards without moving your lower leg. This will help to strengthen the muscles and tendons on the outside of the ankle. Repeat for 3 sets of 20.
Dorsi flexion – Have a partner wrap theraband or tubing around the top of your foot or tie to firm apparatus. Make sure your foot is hanging off the edge of the bench.
Slowly lift your toes towards you without moving your lower leg. This will help to strengthen the muscles of the shin and the front of the ankle.
Plantar flexion – wrap the theraband or tubing around the bottom of your foot and hold it firmly.
Slowly point your toes downward towards the floor without moving your lower leg. Repeat for 3 sets of 20. This will help to strengthen the calf muscles and back of the ankle.
Single leg balance – This exercise should be done only if the ankle is strong enough to weight bear on.
Stand on one leg and slowly bend over at the waist without losing balance. Try not to let your foot shift or shake as this will help to develop ankle stability and strength. Try 3 sets of 15 on each leg.
To make this more challenging, try to perform this exercise with your eyes closed.
Standing single leg calf raise (knee straight)– This exercise should be done only if the ankle is strong enough to weight bear on. Stand with one foot on the edge of a step.
Slowly lower your heel towards the floor and then slowly raise it up as high as you can while keeping your knee straight.
This will help to strengthen the upper calf muscles and tendons that attach to the back of the ankle. Try 3 sets of 15 on each leg.
Standing single leg calf raise (knee bent)– This exercise should be done only if the ankle is strong enough to weight bear on. Stand with one foot on the edge of a step.
Slowly lower your heel towards the floor and then slowly raise it up as high as you can while keeping your knee bent. This will help to strengthen the lower calf muscles.
These are just a few simple exercises you can do to not only rehab nagging ankle sprains, but to make your healthy ankles even stronger. Try to spend 15 minutes a 2-3 times a week to work on these exercises and reduce the risk of injury.
