sprained ankles keep me from working out!

Posts: 25
5/23/11 9:38 P

I am a PT and YES there are several exercises you could do to strengthen not only your ankles but other muscles surrounding your lower extremity joints as you may have a particular muscle imbalance or specfic gait pattern that is prediposing you to repetitive injury. Also, a PT would look at your shoes and make suggestions with regards to gait pattern ad your specific alignment. Once you have an inversion ankle sprain, you are already predisposed to repeating that injury. In the time being, swimming is an awesome cardio option and you can mix that up with water walking, using kick board, pool bouys, hand paddle to increase resistance or just treading water. But your best bet is to get a referral to a PT to specifically address your issue.

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5/23/11 7:44 P

There are plenty types of elastic tapes you sort of band around your feet and ankles. That helps a lot

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5/23/11 6:48 P

I would recommend asking your doctor for a referral to see a physical therapist. They might be able to give you a set of exercises to strengthen those areas so the sprains stop happening.

Swimming might be another cardio option for you.

Coach Jen

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5/23/11 5:19 P

I'm not usually bossy but, in my opinion, I think you should consult a professional (doctor, PT, etc). I'd hate for you do do the wrong exercise and take a step in the wrong direction.

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5/23/11 4:11 P

Hi there...I'm sorry that you are having all of those problems! I have had problems with my knees for many years and had the left one operated on back in 2006. I was in physical therapy for months and they had me doing extensions with my knees (on the weight machines) and riding the bike-basically exercises which strenthen the muscle around the knees. I also do a lot of Leslie Sansone's walking DVD's. By doing these exercises I am able to incorporate jogging (in short spurts) on the treadmill! This slideshow on WebMD (hhttp://www.webmd.com/osteoarthritis/join
t-injections-9/slideshow-knee-exercises) shows a lot of the exercises I did during therapy that helped. I am relatively pain free today! Good luck...hope this helps somewhat (although I would definitely check with your doctor or personal trainer!)

Posts: 161
5/23/11 3:53 P

A few years ago, I sprained my ankle pretty badly. A while after that, I sprained the other one. I've resprained them both off and on since then, and then back in November, I sprained my knee. So now I've got three lower body joints that have been injured before, and every time I try to get back on the wagon, I manage to reinjure one of them. I haven't really worked out in several months now. This morning, I got on the treadmill for the first time since I moved (around the time of the knee sprain.) And at lunch I was walking to the bank, and for no reason at all, no crack in the sidewalk or anything to trip over, I stepped wrong and resprained my ankle. I'm at my wits end with this! Does anyone have any ideas of exercises I can do to strengthen my ankles and knees so I can actually get back in the groove of working out without hurting myself?