Avoid Spraining Your Ankle When Walking

There are few things you should know about and do, to avoid the painful experience of spraining your ankle especially when out walking as you could be in a remote area and hours away from any road to be taken to a hospital.
Here are a few points to avoid spraining your ankle when out walking:
Choose a good pair of walking boots with ankle support, with every walking boot there is a specific way of tying the laces which is in two stages first part holds the foot and the second supports the ankle, always purchase from a reputable walking shop and get a boot fitting and instructions on how the manufacturers have designed your chosen boot to be used, the most reputable walking shops will have very highly trained and experienced boot fitting personnel seek these people out if they are not in the boot room ask for them.

Do not wear nylon socks, these will allow your foot to slip and slide inside the boot, there is some advice out there that wearing nylon socks with proper walking socks will stop you having blisters on your feet, carrying a dry pair of socks with you will work just as well, a blister will be gone in couple of days, damage your ankle a sprain will be with you for a minimum a week a full ankle roll and your ankle may never be the same again.

Trekking poles are good pieces of equipment in rough or lose ground, but they are not a substitute for learning how to read the ground as you walk and getting the art of foot placement right.

Tiredness makes you clumsy always take breaks, especially if you get lost and start to get annoyed or you feel panic starting to creep in, take time out relax, sit down get your breath back until you can breath through you nose, to relax further and take control do stomach breathing which means only your stomach moves while your upper chest remains still.

What is a sprained ankle?
 
The most common type of ankle injury is a sprain. A sprain is stretching and tearing of ligaments. (You sprain a ligament and strain a muscle).

The most common damage done in an ankle sprain is to the talo-fibula ligament. If the injury is worse you might also damage the calcanao-fibula ligament. In addition to the ligament damage you could well have damaged tendons as well.

There are three degrees of ligament sprain:

First degree:

•Some stretching or perhaps tearing of the ligament.
•Little or no joint instability.
•Mild pain
•Little swelling
•Some joint stiffness.
 
Second degree:

•Some tearing of the ligament fibers
•Moderate instability of the joint
•Moderate to severe pain
•Swelling and stiffness
 
Third degree:

•Total rupture of a ligament
•Gross instability of the joint
•Severe pain initially followed by no pain
•Severe swelling
 
What can the athlete do?

•Aim to reduce the swelling by DR .ICE. (Diagnosis Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) as soon as possible. Getting the diagnosis right from the start is important.
•Protect the injured ankle by taping or a support (although do not rely on them for ever as this will weaken the joint).
•Rest the injured ankle - use crutches if necessary - no weight bearing for 24 hours, longer if necessary.
•See a sports injury specialist who can advise on rehabilitation including mobility, and strengthening.
 
What can a sports injury specialist do about it?

•Prescribe anti inflammatory medication.
•Reduce swelling by compression devices.
•Use ultra sound and laser treatment.
•Use cross friction massage.
•Prescribe a full rehabilitation program.
How to Wrap a Sprained Ankle

A sprained ankle can be extremely painful! In order to aid its healing and to get you back on your feet as quickly as possible, you will need to apply a compression wrap. This will help to support the ankle and keep swelling to a minimum.

In order to do this you will only require the following:
1. Your ankle (of course)
2. An elasticated bandage
3. Bandage fastener or micropore tape

How to bandage a sprained ankle

Start by looping the bandage twice around the ball of your foot, just above the toes, pulling on the end lightly as you go along to ensure it's tight enough (but not so tight that it's cutting off your circulation!)

Next, holding the bandage up vertically, pull it diagonally across the top of your foot, under the arch and back over the top again in a criss-cross pattern.

You may also like to add some cotton wool over the ankle for added protection. Should you wish to do this, you should place it under the bandage and ensure it is well secured in order that it doesn't slip and irritate you. You may also wish to place a tubi-grip bandage under the wrap for comfort.

When you get to your ankle, pull the bandage diagonally across the front of your ankle towards you, round the back and then down away from you and back round the arch of your foot, making sure to cover your ankle as you go. The end of the bandage should now be on the other side of the foot in order for you to repeat the process from the other side. Repeat these last steps a few times until you feel your ankle has sufficient support and is sufficiently compressed. Most bandages come with fasteners. However you can always secure it using a micropore tape or medical tape, or you could simply tuck the end into an already secured, snug part of the wrap.

The wrap should cover all of your foot in its entirety (excluding your toes and your heel) and should rise approximately four or so inches up your calf from your heel.

Don't forget to keep an eye on your newly wrapped, sprained ankle! If it starts to go blue/grey/purple, cold, or if you start to get pins and needles, your wrap may be too tight and you should re-wrap it more loosely.

It is also advisable to loosen the bandage over night as you won't notice if it's too tight when you're asleep! Always seek medical advice from a trained practitioner before attempting to treat your own medical ailments. This article is in no way a replacement for professional advice.