The fast changes of direction, pivots, side-steps and jumps of martial arts mean that ankle injuries are very common. Most ankle injuries in martial arts are sprains—an injury to the ligaments that hold the complicated bones of the ankle together. This injury is often called a rolled ankle (ankle inversion sprain), because it usually happens when the foot is flexed downward and rolls in. The impact usually damages the ligaments on the outside part of the ankle.
A rolled ankle can keep you out of serious training for weeks. Even worse, it can become a chronic problem. The biggest risk for an ankle sprain is having a previous ankle sprain. The re-injury rate for ankle sprains is high, approximately 80 percent.
Fortunately, prompt treatment can do a lot to reduce the discomfort from the ankle sprain. And by getting good rehab treatment, you have a good chance of avoiding a recurrence.
Treating a sprain
A sprained ankle very quickly shows all the classic signs of inflammation: Swelling, pain, redness and warmth. The traditional advice for treatment is to apply ice immediately. That will help, but if at all possible applying a compress of Authentic Dit Da Jow as soon as possible after the initial sprain is ideal.
Our Authentic Dit Da Jow is neutral to slightly warm in herbal properties which is ideal for ankle sprains, Dit Da Jow works by dispersing blood stagnation and blood stasis, while allowing Qi to move freely this stimulates the damaged tissue .The stimulation helps reduce inflammation, relieve the pain, swelling and improve joint mobility. The first 72 hours when the injury is usually most painful but with the Dit Da Jow this is generally cut down to 12-24 hours.
We recommend leaving the compress on for at least 6 hours. If you are not familiar with using a compress read our article here .
If you wish to include some natural supplements we recommend the following:
Proteolytic enzymes, including trypsin, chymotrypsin and bromelain
Natural anti-inflammatories, like Boswellia, turmeric, ginger and buffered vitamin C (Ester C) are also recommended.
Bringing down the inflammation is important, because too much inflammation in the area for too long can cause permanent damage and lead to chronic pain and recurrent ankle sprains. If you suffer from chronic ankle and joint pain then a liniment like Iron Palm or Nine Tiger Jow is recommended.
Avoiding ankle sprain recurrence
Lack of conditioning is one of the most common causes of ankle sprains. If your muscles, tendons and ligaments around the ankle joint are weak, this can make a sprain from a bad landing more likely. We also know that weak gluteus medius muscles which are thick, radiating muscles, situated on the outer surface of the pelvis just outside the hip.They are very closely correlated to rolled ankles.
These muscles control hip abduction—the movement of your leg away from the midline of your body. If they’re weak, your hip drops and your knee turns in with every step. Your heel strike when your foot hits the ground is turned in as well. If you go too far and the ankle rolls inward, spraining the outer ligaments as it does.
How can you tell if your gluteus medius muscles need to be strengthened? If you sprain your ankle, it’s almost a certainty that they do. One of the best indicators of ankle sprain risk is the single-leg balance test. If you’ve already had a sprain and cannot stand on one leg with your eyes closed for at least 30 seconds, you’re at risk for another.
An exercise program to prevent future ankle sprains will almost always involve side leg lifts, hip extensions, and working with a wobble board to improve (your sense of where your body is in space) and balance, this is referred in medical terms as proprioception. Also work on specific exercises to strengthen the lower leg and ankle joint. I recommend beginning your ankle rehab exercises immediately after the injury.