Injury rehabilitation is a must after a serious sports injury or post-surgery and is an important part of recovery. Most rehabilitation protocols often include specific strength and flexibility exercises to help build strength and range of motion in an injured extremity.It is important to strengthen after an injury, specifically if you have not used that mussel during the time of recovery. But before you start your rehab you need to make sure you are completely healed first and are ready for physical activity. You usually need to be cleared by a doctor fist before you start full activity.
If you do not strengthen you run the risk of having the same injury again or another injury as a result. An example of this would be if you hurt say your left leg, you will then rely more on your right during recover and after and if you continue to do this it can then result in tight mussels or worse.
The most common injury is ankle sprains or fractures. Below is a list of examples for an ankle stabilization program which you would usually start 2-4 weeks after the original injury.
Calf stretches: standing with one leg behind you pointed straight ahead and heel on the
ground, slowly lean forward until a stretch is felt in the calf muscle / hold 20 sec. / 3
times
-perform with leg straight
-perform with leg slightly bent
Calf raises: standing with balls of your feet on a step, go up onto toes and then lower
heels below the level of the step / perform 2 sets of 15 reps and progress to single leg
raises as able
Theraband: band wrapped around forefoot with heel on the ground
-turn ankle inwards against band
-with knee bent 90°
-with knee bent 20°
-turn ankle outwards against band
-with knee bent 90°
-with knee bent 20°
Calf raises with theraband: perform a single leg calf raise on the ground
-with band around ankle / pulling heel inwards
-with band around ankle / pulling heel outwards
Balance exercises:
-single leg balance on a folded fleece blanket or couple of pillows
hold 20-30 sec. and repeat 5 times in varying knee angles
-progress to performing with your eyes closed
-single leg balance and pulling a band across the front of the body in a diagonal
pattern with arms straight / both directions
Love your post about rehab after injurt. As an athletic training student and as I try to become an athletic trainer, I understand the importance of rehab. Most athletes don't fully understand how important it is to get rest and do rehab after an injury. I know it is hard being an athlete myself and sitting out, but going back to quickly and getting hurt again is only going to make you miss even more of the season.
ReplyDeleteSo much information, its all helpful. I saw my recent ankle sprain as an excuse to take it easy. But I have found that I have just been getting anxious that I can't get out and do something. Rehab is the first step to getting back to the way things were and I look forward to it.
ReplyDeleteWow, thats alot of info! I fractured my ankle and had to get two screws in it. as painful as it was going through therapy, i was glad because i have no problems with it now.
ReplyDelete