Rolled your ankle for the third time this year? Here are some considerations.
One of the most common lower extremity injuries I encounter in my clinic and at the crag is the good, old ankle sprain. By definition, a sprain is an injury to the ligaments that connect two bones together. As kids, many of us probably experienced an ankle sprain playing some sort of team sport. Odds are, your coach slapped some tape on there and sent you back onto the field. Ankle injuries in climbing often occur as a result of a wall-collision fall while lead climbing, a ground fall while bouldering (if your belay sucks…while lead climbing), or rolling an ankle while approaching the crag. Regardless of the mechanism of injury, an untreated ankle sprain can lead to complications including chronic ankle pain and instability. Pain from an ankle sprain can also mask other injuries like fractures to the foot and ankle bones.
Before thinking about rehabbing your ankle sprain, the first thing to do is determine if you need to have an X-ray to rule out fracture. As clinicians, we use criteria called the “Ottawa Ankle Rules” to decide if imaging is warranted. Below is an infographic explaining the criteria; however, if you are unsure if you might have a fracture, it is always best to consult with a medical professional.
If you don’t meet these criteria for an image, the next step following an ankle sprain is “POLICE”. This new acronym replaces the old “RICE” method of Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. The biggest change between “RICE” and “POLICE” is the shift toward early, protected loading as noted in the chart below. Use “POLICE” to reduce pain and improve mobility in the ankle early on in your recovery!
Stay tuned for Part 2 of this ankle series for more information on how to strengthen your ankles, improve your balance, and reduce the risk of chronic ankle pain following an injury.
