We see quite a few patients in our Lynnwood office with ankle sprains but Lifeplus Health Centers has had a lot of success helping them recover more quickly. Why are ankle sprains so common and how can chiropractic adjustments help?
According to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), an estimated 25,000 people in the US sprain their ankles daily. As a matter of fact, these injuries make up practically 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 take place 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 previous ankle injuries, poor posture or balance, weak muscles, and reduced range of motion.
A study printed in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics set out to determine chiropractic's role when it comes to ankle sprain recovery. Researchers enrolled 33 men and women between the ages of 18 and 45 who had a history of ankle inversion sprains, who were reporting tenderness and/or pain, and had not re-injured the ankle in the previous six weeks.
18 of the participants were assigned to participate in rehabilitation and the other 15 individuals received chiropractic therapy in addition to rehab. Each person had five full weeks of treatment, with the rehabilitation group receiving therapy seven days a week and the rehab plus chiropractic group receiving therapy six out of the seven days.
The authors found that the individuals who participated in both rehabilitation and chiropractic fared the best at the 4-week mark when it came to pain and joint restriction. In addition, no undesirable effects were reported, showing that chiropractic treatment is safe!
If you're near our location in Lynnwood and you're recovering from an ankle injury, give us a call. We'll do what we can to keep you up and jumping... literally!
References
Dr. Stephanie Greenall was born in Vancouver, BC, Canada. She graduated from Western States Chiropractic College in 1991. Doctor Greenall served as President-Elect of the Washington State Chiropractic Association (WSCA) Board of Directors in 2014 representing over 1000 chiropractors in Washington state. Stephanie’s parents introduced her to alternative care as a child. Their family would visit their chiropractor on a regular basis. She knew at a young age that chiropractic was the answer to most ailments. As a teenager, working for a veterinarian, she always knew she wanted to be a healer. Dr. Greenall lives in Edmonds and has called the Lynnwood/Edmonds area home since she began her practice in 1991. “My purpose of practicing chiropractic is to provide the highest quality of alternative ways of healing to my patients.” Stephanie Greenall
