Spring is sports season for many amateur athletes and weekend warriors in the Central Valley area. It's also ankle sprain season for our foot and ankle specialists.
Ankle sprains are one of the most common sports injuries we treat at All Valley Podiatric Group this time of year.
As people emerge from their winter hibernation and start to get active again, they can injure their ankles playing sports such as basketball, baseball, tennis, and soccer.
Anyone who injures an ankle requires prompt medical treatment, whether it's their first sprain or their fifth. Rest, ice, compression and elevation (R.I.C.E.) can reduce swelling and pain until the ankle can be evaluated and treated by a foot and ankle specialist. A sprain may not always be a sprain; the ankle could be fractured.
Dr Moadab notes that many athletes develop chronic ankle instability from repeated ankle sprains, causing their ankle to frequently "give way." In some cases these players may require surgery. Proper rehabilitation of an ankle sprain reduces the likelihood of developing chronic ankle instability.
Dr Rupley shares three spring ankle sprain prevention tips from FootHealthFacts.org:
1. Perform warm-up stretches and exercises before playing sports.
2. Wear the right shoes for the sport. For example, don't wear running shoes for sports that involve a lot of side-to-side movement, such as tennis and basketball.
3. Wear an ankle brace if you're recovering from an injury or have repeatedly sprained your ankle.
FootHealthFacts.org is the consumer Web site of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS). Dr Anoosh Moadab and Dr Kathryne Rupley are members of the ACFAS and Board Certified in Foot Surgery by the American Board of Podiatric Surgery (ABPS). They both earned their podiatric medical degrees from California College of Podiatric Medicine and have been practicing in Fresno for 6 to 7 years. For and appointment call All Valley Podiatric Group at 559-436-1213.