Hemp Oil Cleveland

My son sprains his ankle every sporting season. Is there anything that can be done?

​

The short answer is to buy him a bulky sprain specific ankle brace. The majority of ankle sprains associated with playing sports are not the results of weak ankle muscles or loose ligaments. Most sports associated ankle sprains are the result of hip and trunk weakness. When one plants their foot to cut or change direction during play the individual’s center of gravity continues in pre-cutting direction. Once the center of gravity, located at the pelvis, crosses over the vertical plane of the planted foot then only the ankle muscle and ligaments are left to control the body’s momentum. That is when the traditional sports ankle sprain occurs, which is different than twisting an ankle from stepping on an uneven surface. There are numerous exercises to strengthen the hips and trunk to prevent this lateral shifting of one’s center of gravity. One of the simplest and easiest exercises to explain in this article is “resistive lateral walking”. Acquire a resistance band from a sporting goods store or a therapy clinic. Cut approximately a 24 to 30 inch length of band and tie it in a loop. Put the looped band around your son’s feet in standing. Have him get into a semi-squatting position and start stepping sideways. Make sure he does it equally to the left and to the right until he becomes fatigued or sloppy in his technique. This should be performed about every other day. This will be a good start in getting your child the correct strength to play their sport.