We see many patients in our Corvallis office with ankle sprains but Dr. Lach has had a lot of success helping them heal more quickly. Why are ankle sprains so common and how can chiropractic care help?
According to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), approximately 25,000 men and women in the US sprain their ankles every day. In fact, these injuries make up nearly half of all sports injuries, causing people to spend time away from the activities they enjoy most.
Like any injury, there are many causes of ankle sprains. The most frequent is inversion, or when the ankle rolls inward. This injury can happen due to one forceful movement, or it can develop over time, and exercises that increase the risk for this type of ankle sprain include running and jumping. You're also at risk if you have pre-existing ankle injuries, poor posture or balance, weak muscles, and reduced range of motion.
A study published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics set out to identify chiropractic's role when it comes to ankle sprain recovery. The authors enrolled 33 men and women between the ages of 18 and 45 who had a history of ankle inversion sprains, who were experiencing tenderness and/or pain, and had not re-injured the area in the previous six weeks.
18 of the participants were assigned to receive rehabilitation and the remaining 15 subjects received chiropractic adjustments in addition to rehabilitation. Each person had five full weeks of treatments, with the rehabilitation group receiving therapy seven days a week and the rehabilitation plus chiropractic group receiving care six out of the seven days.
Researchers found that the individuals who had both rehab and chiropractic fared the best at the 4-week mark when it came to pain and joint restriction. Additionally, no negative effects were reported, showing that this treatment option is safe.
If you're near our location in Corvallis and you're suffering from an ankle injury, give us a call. We'll do what we can to keep you up and moving... literally!
Citations
Dr. Lach
Our practice focuses on the treatment of AUTO INJURIES, HERNIATED & BULGING DISCS of the Neck and Low Back. These conditions can result in Chronic Low Back & Neck Pain, Sciatica, Numbness & Tingling and Headaches. It is very important after an auto injury to be evaluated for spinal misalignment and dysfunction, muscle damage and ligament damage. If not treated properly and on a timely basis, you may be left with a lifetime of pain and disability.