General common sense, as well as scientific research, tells us that lifelong physical activity acts as a protecting agent against chronic illness and disease. If you’re able to consistently rack up 300 minutes of moderate intensity activity per week, you’re at much lower risk for things like cancer, cardiovascular disease and other inflammatory disorders. Regular physical activity also increases your resilience against communicable diseases, like bacteria and viral infections. However, here’s where the research starts to diverge.
A Guy Walks Out of a Bar…
To wrap up our section on ankle sprains, I was able to chat more with Kathleen about her clinical experience and treatment recommendations. Kathleen’s background working with the SF Ballet, not to mention her years as a dancer herself, have given her a high volume of foot and ankle injuries to draw from!
A Well Balanced Workout
Why all this wacky balance work? Injury doesn’t just impact bony or soft tissues; nerves are often impacted as well. Mechanoreceptors are sensory neurons found within joint capsular tissues, ligaments, tendons, muscles and skin. These cells respond to movement and touch, and contribute to our sense of proprioception, or a sense of where the body is in space. Proprioceptive training programs are effective at reducing the rate of ankle sprains in sporting participants, particularly those with a history of ankle sprain.
Lateral Ankle Sprains: Part II
The Lateral Ankle Sprain
Lateral or inversion ankle sprains are one of the most common ankle injuries. These injuries happen through an excessive inversion mechanism, or when the foot rolls to the outside. Eversion ankle sprains, or when the foot rolls to the inside, are much less common because of the anatomy of the joint; the body is naturally more resilient against this motion.
