Let's talk about ankle sprains and a new tool recently released that I highly recommend for rehab as well as addressing overall balance and stability for health and longevity training.
Many of us have had an ankle sprain or two in our lives.
Every injury is unique, and the anticipated sprained ankle recovery time will vary depending on the severity of the sprain. That said, most ankle sprains will heal within a week or two with proper rest and protection from further injury. More severe ankle sprains may require a month or longer to heal
Over time, torn or overstretched ligaments may lead to ankle instability. Unfortunately, a less stable ankle joint is more likely to sustain additional sprains and injuries in the future, creating a chronic issue.
For best outcomes Ankle sprains are best treated aggressively at the start no matter the grade of the sprain. The acronym RICE still applies : REST, ICE, COMPRESSION, and ELEVATION.
Resting the foot may involve the use of crutches, braces, or bandages to assist with mobility. For the first 48 to 72 hours following an ankle sprain, ice therapy can be used to constrict the blood vessels, reducing blood flow to the ankle and surrounding tissues. This will minimize swelling and reduce the overall recovery time. Ice packs are effective for this purpose, but they should always be wrapped in a layer of fabric to create a partial buffer just above to skin, and ice therapy treatments should be limited to 20 minutes or less. As a general rule, rest, ice, compression, and elevation should be used for the first 48 to 72 hours following an injury, although it may be necessary to rest the joint and use assistive devices for a longer period of time.
Check out my amazon store for my recommendations for ankle supportive devices post sprain: https://www.amazon.com/shop/drsherrigreene
Here are my top recommended supplements/herbs for pain and repair:
( you can find these on my amazon store: https://www.amazon.com/shop/drsherrigreene)
curcumin, nettle leaf, magnesium, lemon balm, california poppy, zinc, vit C, MSM and arnica homeopathic, Calendula cream, topricin homeopathic
I find that rehabbing a sprained ankle is key to prevent long term chronic pain and instability. Physical Therapy may be required.
New Product for at home rehab: Naboso Kinesis Board
Over the years, ankle rehabilitation has been pretty consistent with the standard physical therapy protocol involving "proprioceptive training". Some of the most common proprioceptive training modalities include wobble boards, dyna discs and the Bosu; all of which are forms of instability training. As of late, studies have shown inconsistencies in the results.
Due to this inconsistency, it was questioned if perhaps the answer to ankle rehab was not proprioceptive but rather mechanoceptive?
Mechanoception is a type of exteroceptor that is found on the plantar foot and palmar hand. These nerves respond to mechanical deformation which when stimulated communicate with the somatosensory cortex to build foot and body awareness.
There are a few key stimuli that are involved in the mechanoceptive system. Skin Stretch, Vibration, and Texture.
The detection of texture or two-point discrimination, such as that created by Naboso products, is an SA1 Merkel Disc stimuli which has been shown to play an integral role in quiet stance and the control of medial lateral sway.
The Naboso Kinese board (Kinesis Board) includes:
- dual sensory stimulation, a micro-wobble system and a single-leg platform.
- Micro-Wobble System
- Unlike your average wobble board, the Kinesis Board intentionally focuses on micro wobbles to stimulate the nerves of the ankle, creating faster joint position sense.
- Dual Sensory Stimulation
- Bring the power of mechanoception to your balance training with their textured platform. Combined with proprioceptive stimuli, you can expect higher nerve stimulation with the Kinesis Board.
- Single Leg Platform
- Training balance on one leg is after all, how we use balance during our daily movements. This is why the Kinesis Board is designed for one leg at a time.
