The Ankle Sprain

The weather is changing, it’s getting colder, the courts are getting wet and slippery, even icy but we still play. Why? Because we love it! To follow the previous blog, I also want to inform you all about ankles, everyone knows someone with dodgy ankles.

One of the most frequent injuries we see from netball are ankle sprains. 9/10 times it is a lateral ankle sprain which mainly involves the anterior talofibular ligament and the calcaneofibular ligament.

This injury often occurs when you are receiving the ball and land quickly, sometimes land awkwardly, often on one foot, even on another player's foot this can cause the ankle to roll out which increases the force through those outside ligaments and snap!

If you have previously rolled an ankle you are at a greater risk of this type of injury to happen again, again and again…. this is why it is important to see your physio for proper management of this injury to make sure you can continue to play your absolute best with minimal risk of twisting or rolling your ankle.

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What to look for if you have just sustained this type of injury:

• • Pain or tenderness on the outside of your ankle

• • Swelling and/or bruising

• • Unable to walk without pain

• • Unable to balance on one foot without lots of wobbling TIP: If you have any of these symptoms make sure you see your physio for further advice to manage this injury.

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Oh no! How do I prevent this from happening?

To decrease your chances of rolling your ankle during netball or any fast paced sport, keep reading! If you have previously had an ankle injury or you are simply just wanting to prevent this type of injury these following exercises are for you.

• 1. Single leg balance on a pillow - too easy, try eyes closed!

• 2. Single leg calf raises - you should be able to do MINIMUM 2x20

• 3. Banded eversion

• 4. Single leg RDL’s

• 5. Lateral hop and stick

These exercises are not just for netball, these are great ankle strengthening and stability exercises which can be applied across all sports. Tell your friends!

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