Ankle sprains: in search of the best treatment

Ankle Sprains: In Search of the Best Treatment

Anatomy of the ankle joint

The ankle joint is a hinge variety of joint, designed in such a way that it provides stability while sacrificing movements. Its main function is to support bodyweight and aid in locomotion. Ligaments are strands of tissue that allow movements within a certain range and in addition provide stability to the joint. The ankle joint is supported (on the outside) by the lateral ligament complex which includes the anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL), the calcaneofibular ligament (CFL), and the posterior talofibular ligament (PTFL). The medial side of the ankle (inner) is supported by the deltoid ligament. The front of the joint is supported by the anterior inferior tibiofibular ligament (AITFL) while the posterior fibular ligaments attach at the back.

Ankle sprains

Undue stretching of a ligament leading to its damage is called a sprain. This leads to loss of stability at the joint with abnormal mobility. Depending on the severity of damage undergone, ankle sprains have been traditionally classified into various grades or degrees.

Grade I (First degree)

most common
microscopic damage to the ligaments
no instability at joint
heals in a short span of time

Grade II (Second degree)

more severe
ligaments partially torn
no significant instability

Grade II (Third degree)

most severe
ligaments completely ruptured
significant instability

The lateral ligaments of the joint are more commonly involved in sprains.

Mechanism of injury

Sprains occur when the ankle is turned unexpectedly which place undue stretch on the ligaments. In sports, sprains occurs with running, jumping, sharp direction changes, or stepping or running on uneven ground. In the normal population, wearing of high heeled or worn out shoes are also a likely mechanism of injury.

Diagnosis

Clinical presentation includes

bruising
swelling
tenderness
ligament stress tests (carried out under general anaesthesia, these should be reserved only for research purposes since choice of treatment is not governed by the degree of instability)

X-rays or MRI to rule out damage to other structures, esp. bones.

Treatment

Rest The first 24-48 hours after the injury is considered a critical treatment period and activities need to be curtailed. Gradually put as much weight on the involved ankle as tolerated and discontinue crutch use when you can walk with a normal gait (with minimal to no pain or limp).

Ice For the first 48 hours post-injury, ice pack and elevate the ankle sprain 20 minutes at a time every 3-4 hours. The ice pack can be a bag of frozen vegetables (peas or corn), allowing you to be able to re-use the bag. Another popular treatment method is to fill paper cups with water then freeze the cup. Use the frozen cube like an ice cream cone, peeling away paper as the ice melts. Do NOT ice a ankle sprain for more than 20 minutes at a time!! You will not be helping heal the ankle sprain any faster, and you can cause damage to the tissues!

Compression Use compression when elevating the ankle sprain in early treatment. Using an Ace bandage, wrap the ankle from the toes all the way up to the top of the calf muscle, overlapping the elastic wrap by one-half of the width of the wrap. The wrap should be snug, but not cutting off circulation to the foot and ankle. So, if your foot becomes cold, blue, or falls asleep, re-wrap!

Elevate Keep your ankle sprain higher than your heart as often as possible. Elevate at night by placing books under the foot of your mattresses–just stand up slowly in the morning.

More severe ankle sprain injuries, including complete tears of the ligaments and fractures of the bone may need different treatment and rehab than a simple ankle sprain.

Discussion

The aim of the treatment is to reduce oedema (fluid accumulation, responsible for the swelling) and increase circulation, thereby facilitation removal of debris. The methods by which this can be achieved are cryotherapy (cold therapy) and exercise respectively. Some researchers advocate exercising during the rehabilitation phase when the swelling has subsided.

Controversy also exists regarding the use of heat. Most authorities claim that heat should not be applied till oedema recedes. However, some studies are in favour of early use of heat suggesting that heat does not significantly affect oedema.

Most scientific studies are in support of early mobilization for the treatment of ankle joint sprains. This combined with physiotherapy is the best treatment available to get the sports person back to match fitness. Although, some studies suggest that the long term effects of surgical repair as compared to early mobilization or cast immobilization are minimal, there are conflicting reports. Scientific data suggests that surgical repair should be the choice of treatment only in patients with persistent instability.

Everyone’s guide to post-workout recovery nutrition

Everyone’s Guide to Post-workout Recovery Nutrition

What you need to eat for proper recovery after a workout depends on the type of movements or exercise routine. For the fitness buff who does a 30-minute routine several times a week, recovery nutrition is not much of an issue. But for those cramming to lose a few inches in time for the prom, or under intense training for the big game, it is a big part of the deal.

A good post-workout recovery meal plan should be designed to replenish what was lost during the activity. When you exercise, you spend on energy, burn calories and shed loads upon loads of sweat. Therefore, you need to re-hydrate yourself and refuel your muscles.

Thirst is the most compelling sensation when our body is engaged in any strenuous activity. And to properly quench that thirst, drink less water and gulp down glycogen-rich fruit juices. Fruit juices not only replace lost fluid but also calories and carbohydrates. Highly recommended for this job are cranberry, apple and grape juice. Smoothies and milk shakes are also good options with have high nutritional values.

Our muscles need high-calorie carbohydrates to fuel its everyday activities. One serious workout session burns calories and depletes blood sugar. You need to consume carbohydrates and replenish what was lost. So, if you are on a low-carb diet, think twice before embarking on a hard and intense fitness routine.

Because our muscles are made of protein, it is best recommended to consume both carbohydrates and protein right after a workout. Carbohydrates replenish the fuel while protein repairs the energy machine. Our muscular system needs protein for growth and repair. This could come in the form of a peanut butter sandwich, fruit yogurt, oatmeal pudding or cereal with milk.

The immediately visible by-product of exercise is sweat. Some people measure the intensity of their workout by the amount of sweat they produce on their backs and foreheads. When you sweat, you lose both water and sodium. Sodium is needed in fluid retention and prevention of dehydration. Replenish sodium by eating salty foods like salted crackers, pretzels and salted nuts.

Finally, the most important part of recovery nutrition is rest. After an intense workout, reward yourself with a nice good night sleep. What you have eaten goes down the drain if you do not give your body the time to actually use it. Take a rest to refuel and recharge. Take a rest to heal and repair. It is in the natural order of things. After a good exercise and a nutritious post-workout meal comes a good night sleep.

The jump manual review

The Jump Manual Review

Firstly, let me tell you exactly what the Jump Manual is all about. This is promoted as a program that guarantees you to increase AT LEAST 10 inches to your vertical jump in a space of just twelve weeks. Is this possible? So many people have sought for the secrets to jumping higher and get that physical edge over their competitors, is this really the program for them?

The Jump Manual is a total software guiding principle across the vertical jump coaching. It gives you all you need so you can achieve your jumping goal and improve the maximum vertical jump. The most vital fact is that it provides detailed, step by step directions how to exercise, how to improve particular sides of the jump preparation and your physical abilities, and the way to challenge yourself to the maximum.

The program is written by Jacob Hiller, a vertical explosion coach who has trained profession athletes from Olympic Games right through to pro basketball players. He trains each part of your body that is employed when you need to jump which will allow you to go that one step further.

Now what Jacob Hiller teaches are basic beliefs and techniques that he has developed. These are from his own private experience of really trying them out first. And after seeing the results first hand he then taught the same beliefs to young sportsmen. Which again, proved successful. You can see his certifications at his site.

Jump Manual has all the systems you need to improve your vertical jump explosion and quickness resulting to an extraordinary increase of jump level to at least 10 inches in twelve weeks time only. Whatever sports you are into, you will surely get benefits from this program as long as you target each facets of the vertical training.

Unlike other training programs that tackle several activities in the coaching, the Jump Manual, on the other hand, concentrates more on training the vertical jumping to give enhancements and developments on the performance up to 10 to twenty-five inches inside merely a period of twelve weeks.

Trac your progress: Tracking your progress with the jump manual will enable you to check back and see how fair you have come. I keep an excel spreadsheet because I’m a bit of a geek, but a tiny notebook you bring with you to the gymnasium is great too. Write in the date of the workout, the general time (morning, afternoon, etc), exercises, weights, reps, and comments. Tracking your progress gives you feedback on your workouts so you know what works and it helps you get in touch with the beat of your body and how you perform under various circumstances, a key piece of data for any athlete. Plus tracking your progress with your vertical leap will let you know how effectively the jump manual is working for you.

Get lots of sleep: I truthfully can’t probably convey how vital sleep is. Sleep is probably THE most significant side of health and fitness, but it never gets any press time. You need a minimum of eight hours of sleep a night, if you’re in your teenagers or 20’s you should be getting close to a little over nine hours of sleep constantly. Both REM and deep sleep are critical to developing physically. Your body basically learns muscle memory as you are sleeping ( in what are called sleep spindles) if you’re developing any kind of method which trains muscle memory (like proper jumping method as revealed in the jump manual ) you are going to memorize those movements in your sleep. On top of that, most of your body’s repair functions occur while sleeping, when you break down muscle fiber during a workout, the majority of it gets built up again while you sleep.

When you enroll in this program, you get the entire system that includes videos, charts, the vertical jump program and an exercise routine too. You will also get one to one training from a genuine coach – that alone is a goldmine!

Your results rely on many factors and individual circumstances outside the control of the author. Many athletes report gains of one inch Per week or more. Gains will be different from sportsman to athlete. I would highly counsel this product to anyone who wants to have that physical edge and compete at a professional level. Guage this before you try any other program – you will be dazzled with the results! Read my full Jump Manual Review Here!. For effective info regarding Increasing Vertical Jump. Click Here.