Do You Suffer From Chronic Ankle Pain or Weakness?

The last article discussed what to do in the event that you sprain an ankle to ease the pain and promote proper healing. But what can you do about old ankle sprains that never quite healed as they should have? Fortunately, there are things you can do and treatment you can get to improve the ankle and prevent recurring injuries.

If a sprained ankle doesn’t heal as it should, the ankle can be less stable causing the ankle to feel weak and increase susceptibility to re-injury. Other signs of an inadequately healed ankle include stiffness, pain, and reduced range of motion due to excessive scar tissue formation.

When the body repairs damaged parts it uses scar tissue to do the job. Scar tissue formation is a necessary part of the healing process otherwise minor tears would develop into large tears and our bodies would literally fall apart after injury. Problems with scar tissue occur when excessive amounts are laid down in one area or between different structures. Because scar tissue is less flexible than the tissue it replaced, range of motion can be impaired and it can create a feeling of stiffness. Scar tissue also has nerve endings in it which can make it more sensitive than the tissue it originally replaced.

What could cause excessive scar tissue to lay down in response to healing a sprained ankle? Completely immobilizing the ankle after a sprain would cause scar tissue to form excessively around the damaged areas and could restrict range of motion. Guiding the ankle through normal ranges of motion without putting weight on the ankle, helps direct where scar tissue is to form (and where it shouldn’t form) so as to heal while retaining range of motion that is necessary for the joint to work properly. See the previous article for recommendations on moving the ankle after an acute sprain.

What can YOU do in the case of an already healed ankle sprain?

To improve stability of the ankle or reduce the weakness of the ankle that is common after the ankle has healed is to train the muscles around the ankle to react quickly and protect and strengthen the ankle.

Practice balancing on one foot to train the muscles around the ankle to provide stability. Start by standing on one foot with your eyes opened for 15 seconds. As your ankle gets stronger, increase time to 30 seconds, then 1 minute. Once you feel strong and comfortable doing this exercise, practice balancing on one foot with your eyes closed. A realistic goal is balancing on one foot with the eyes closed for 30 seconds.

Get treatment to get rid of excessive scar tissue formation

In our office we use a treatment called Active Release Technique (ART) which works to get rid of excessive scar tissue formation that results after the healing of a damaged part. ART is a new and highly successful hands-on treatment method to address problems in the soft tissues of the body, including muscles, ligaments, fascia and nerves. ART is highly successful in dealing with ankle problems because it is specifically designed to locate and treat scar tissue adhesions that accumulate in the muscles and surrounding soft tissues. By locating and treating the scar tissue with ART, it allows the doctor to 1) break up restrictive adhesions, 2) reinstate normal sliding of the soft tissues, and 3) more completely restore flexibility, strength, and balance to the foot and ankle. If you have an old ankle sprain that gives you problems, ART may be able to help. More information about my office and ART can be found on our website at http://www.fallriverchiropractic.ca/.