Tips and Tricks for Speeding up Your Recovery from Ankle Injury
If you play sports at any level -- from novice to professional -- chances are that at some point in your athletic career, you’ve experienced an ankle injury. Every day 25,000 Americans injure their ankles and a full half of these sprains are a result of athletic activity.
But no matter how you stressed the ligaments, tendons or bones of your ankle, the result is either having to walk around on a swollen ankle for several weeks, or contending with the dreaded doctor-applied walking boot for about the same amount of time. For those of you facing a long time out on the sidelines, here are some tips for speeding up your recovery.
One of the first steps to boosting your recovery is following the P.R.I.C.E protocol immediately following your injury.
Start with "P", protecting your ankle from further injury, don’t try to “Walk it off”, go sit down!
The second step is difficult for many, but very necessary, "R" rest. Limit your movement as much as possible. If you do have to move, use a mobility aid such as your KneeRover® , in order to prevent further stress on your ankle.
"I", stands for ice. Use a bag of frozen peas or a cold compress and apply to the affected area for 3-4 minutes at a time throughout the day.
The next step is "C", compressing the area, tightly wrap around an elastic bandage or compressor but make sure not to cut off circulation. This helps reduce swelling.
Finally, keep your ankle elevated "E", when you’re propping up your foot with a couple of pillows. When walking make sure your knee stays firmly situated on the soft cushion provided on your knee scooter.
Diet
The main focus of your post-injury diet should be to reduce inflammation, and promote the healing of damaged tissue. While keeping your ankle elevated and stress-free with the KneeRover® a proper diet will add an extra boost to your recover.
Bone broth, made from chicken, beef, fish or lamb stock provides your body with much needed collagen; helping to keep connective tissue strong and providing your bones with vital amino acids and minerals.
Protein is a necessity for healing; up to half of all bone matter is comprised of this substance so make sure you’re eating plenty of meat, nuts and beans.
Vitamin K, and Vitamin C are also vital components for the recovery process. Your body can get necessary stores through leafy green vegetables, and fresh fruits such as strawberry, banana and citruses.
Zinc helps to fortify your body’s immune system and rebuild lose tissue. Beef, pumpkin seeds and spinach are just some examples of food, high in zinc content.