By Timothy Jensen
Doctors nationwide say they''re concerned about the increasing number of ankle injuries, lack of proper treatment and failure by athletes to use a prefabricated brace during athletic activity.
According to wrongdiagnosis.com, approximately 1 million ankle injuries occur each year. Eighty-five percent of those are sprains.
The NBA Trainers Association found that 38.3 percent of all injuries occurred in the ankles. Basketball players are susceptible to this kind of injury because it is easy to step on someone when coming down from a shot or rebound, and twist or roll it making a hard cut to the basket.
In addition, many athletes of various sports have ankle troubles.
R.B. Jones, a senior from Missouri majoring in exercise science, broke his ankle twice: once playing soccer and the other while body boarding. The first time he wasn''t diagnosed correctly by the BYU Health Center, where staff members thought that he had only suffered torn ligaments and X-rays weren''t needed. He treated his ankle for torn ligaments, but his ankle never healed properly. He got a second opinion ten months later and discovered it was broken.
'Three weeks of correct treatment--including non-use--would have saved me a year of torment,' Jones said. 'It is impossible to treat the wrong problem and get the results you want.'
The American Academy of Family Physicians said an ankle sprain occurs when the inside of the foot caves in and the rest of the body''s weight falls on that ankle, stretching and tearing ligaments. As a result, the sprain can cause problems such as cartilage injury, fracture of the ankle, or a loose ankle.
The other major problem with ankle sprains is when people prematurely return to full activity. Injured players think that everything is fine and healed, but really they''re causing more damage. If players aren''t careful by allowing the ankle to heal properly, it can result in chronic ankle pain.
According to the article, 'Is it just a Sprain?' people of all ages constantly re-injure their ankles.
'One of the most common mistakes people make is to not strengthen the leg or ankle, especially the tendons on the outside of the leg/ankle that give you stability and stop you from rolling the ankle,' said Dr. Carol Frey, an orthopedic surgeon in Manhattan Beach, Calif.
Frey said balance is the key. The ankle needs to be retrained because the tendons that promote balance are injured during a sprain. If this is not done, an injured person is likely to re-injure their ankle.
'The incidence of ankle sprains is less in the braced group,' Frey said. 'And if they do have a sprain the severity is less.'
Ankle sprain prevention can be best accomplished by using a brace. It''s essential to wear tennis shoes that offer ankle support and apply non-elastic plastic tape. Elastic tape gives too much around the joints.
A study by Dr. Frey shows that 450 high school athletes are far better off using prefabricated ankle braces over taping.
The BYU Health Center sells a brace called ASO. It laces up snugly on the foot, has two straps that cross in front and one Velcro strap that offers great stability.
'The product is designed very well,' said Eric Stewart, a senior from Denver majoring in exercise science. 'It stiffened my ankle, like it''s suppose to.'
The ASO ankle brace sells for $28 and students can get it at the pharmacy department. The brace is selling for $45 on the market.
'Ever since I''ve used the ASO brace, I haven''t had a single problem with my ankle,' said Greg Nef, a senior from Fresno, Calif., majoring in computer science. 'They are very comfortable and easy to adjust to.'
Dr. Denton Cameron, an urgent care doctor at BYU Health Center said the reason they use ASO ankle brace is because five orthopedic surgeons who offer clinics at the center recommend it. He said it''s wise to take advantage of their expertise.
'The whole point of it is to mimic the support your ankle would naturally give you if you had healthy ligaments and joint structure,' Jones said.
Injured athletes can find strength and flexibility exercises on the Internet. On one Web site, professional basketball player, Troy Murphy of the Golden State Warriors demonstrates what he does to regain ankle balance.
A few of these are to fully extend the leg, wrap a towel around the foot and pull backward. Another is to stand vertically with hands on hips, stand on one foot (the afflicted ankle) and bend the opposite knee so the back of the heel is touching the buttock. Do both of these exercises for three sets of 20 seconds.
If the sprain is serious, seeking medical attention is the best advice. However, there are a few things that a ankle patient can do to give the ankle proper care. Many doctors recommend using a program called RICE. This is a four-step process: rest, ice, compression, and elevation.
Step 1: Depending on the seriousness, the ankle needs rest. Crutches should be used as long as it hurts to stand on the foot.
Step 2: Icing decreases the swelling, pain, bruising and muscle spasms. Continue to use ice up to three days after the injury. Cold can damage nerves if ice is left in place too long. Leave ice up to 20 minutes at a time. Use ice treatments every two to four hours for the first three days after injury. Ice treatments consist of ice packs, ice baths and ice massages.
Step 3: Compression is important to avoid swelling and bruising. Keep the ankle wrapped for one to two days and up to a week or more if necessary.
Step 4: Elevation is vital because it prevents swelling from getting worse and helps reduce bruising. Raise the ankle above the level of the heart for two to three hours a day if possible.
To reduce the pain, take Tylenol, Advil, Motrin or Nuprin.