Avoiding Ankle Problems As An Athlete

If you're an athlete that does a lot of running on a regular basis, you're going to need to do everything you can to protect your ankles. Sprains and other injuries can sideline you and make you miss out on games and other team activities. To ensure your ankles can escape injury, consider the following pointers.

Tape Up Your Ankles

A smart way to protect your ankles when you're running and doing other sports-related activities is to tape them up. Athletic tape can provide much-needed support to the ankles when applied properly. Many people tape their ankles when they get back out on the field after an injury, but taping the ankles before any injury happens can be a preventative action. Ensure that you apply adhesive to your bare skin so that the tape will stick more reliably, even when you start running about. You should also consider heel pads so that chafing is kept to a minimum.

For additional support, you may want to put an ankle brace on top of your taping work. This can give your ankles even more stabilization and help.

Wear Proper Shoes

One thing that can help prevent your ankles from twisting or getting hurt is to ensure you're always using the right shoes for your sport. Overall, the best choice for footwear is a pair of shoes that has a lot of traction and fits snugly without being too tight. If you're able to use "high-top" footwear, that may provide an additional bit of support, as high-tops surround ankles on all sides and can keep them stable inside the shoes.

Warm Up

If you're one of those athletes who dislikes warming up and stretching out, that can be one of the causes of ankle problems. It's important to "warm" your muscles so that your ankles have full functionality; when muscles are tight and unstretched, that can make it more difficult to move about and prevent injuries. Taking a few moments to roll your ankles for a while can be an easy thing to do.

Wear Ankle Weights

It's also smart to ensure that you are working on building enough strength in your ankles. Using ankle weights when you're off the field or court can help you to make your ankle stronger as you go about your day.

These suggestions should help you to better protect your ankles while participating in your sport. For more advice, talk with a practitioner of orthopedic sports medicine, like Associates In Orthopedics & Sports Medicine PC.