A strained ankle muscle is injury to lateral ligaments on the periphery of the ankle joint. Commonplace reasons for this damage in running is rolling over the ankle on unbalanced, or rough surfaces or from inadvertent side-stepping.
Promptly treat an ankle muscle strain with the customary RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) technique. However, a medical diagnosis immediately after trauma is indispensable for serious strains entailing bone fracture, ligament avulsion to ensure it’s not overlooked.
A moist towel (instead of an ice pack) and wearing two layers of stretchable socks can administer more reinforcement. Maintaining the foot lifted on a footrest with a pillow reposes the angle of the foot above the hips, which assists fluid discharge and curtails swelling near the ankle.
Don’t run unless swelling has diminished and can be mobilized without discomfort. Rebounding to intense-activity may be up to 2 weeks, but a plan of moderate weight-conditioning should be initiated, when the foot has full range-of-motion (ROM) without pain. Don’t attempt rounded ankle ROM if it’s painful.
Sequentially, rehabilitation advances with weight-conditioning the ankle. Start by leisurely jogging in a straightforward path on an even surface not farther than 200 yards. Rest one day between running periods, slowly intensify distance, pace throughout a month, insofar as the ankle doesn’t swell or become more painful.
Prior to securely rebounding to a pre-injury running start an array of stability workouts to condition the ankle to the intensity of running on disproportionate surfaces. A seesaw board is beneficial for runners, because it supports distribution and balance while conditioning ankle and feet muscles. Start with prolonging stability on the board without faltering, also focus on elongating running time.
