Your Risks for Ankle Sprains

Taking risks isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Many fun activities like sports involve injury risks. Whenever you travel, you risk losing your luggage or having something else go wrong. However, you can unnecessarily increase your own risks for painful problems like ankle sprains. Knowing your risks for an ankle sprain could help you take better care of your joints and prevent the problem.

Ankle sprains are usually accidental injuries. They develop when you suddenly trip or twist your foot and the supporting ligaments are forcibly overstretched. This leaves your joint loose, unstable, and painful. It’s the type of injury that could happen to anyone. However, certain risks make it more likely you’ll suffer this condition.

The biggest risk is, of course, playing sports. Many activities involve sudden direction changes, running, jumping, and generally straining your ankles. This makes it much more likely you’ll accidentally twist your foot and hurt yourself. This doesn’t mean you should never participate in or enjoy sports, of course—just that you need to be aware and take care of your ankles when you do.

This risk is especially heightened if you don’t adequately condition your ankles for your activities. Conditioning helps strengthen the muscles and connective tissues so your joint can better handle strain. Without this conditioning, your ankle may be more likely to give way under pressure.

Activities on uneven surfaces also contribute to ankle sprain risks. Your feet naturally adjust to the surface below them when you step, but when the ground is uneven, covered with loose rocks, or pitted with holes, the sudden surface change could twist your ankle.

Wearing the wrong shoes is another risk. Certain shoes, like high heels, are unstable and make it more likely you’ll fall and hurt yourself. Wearing the wrong shoes, or worn out pairs, to your activities can also leave you without the proper support needed for your joints, making it more likely your ankles will buckle under pressure.

Ultimately, knowing the risks for ankle sprains can help you plan for and prevent the injury in some cases. Don’t ignore your risks and then suffer the pain later. Take care of your joints today. Our team at The Kansas Foot Center is here to help you with all your ankle needs. Just contact our offices in Wichita, Newton, or Emporia by calling 866.222.5177 for more information.