With football season in session, we need to get our minds focused on injury prevention. One way that we can do this is by taking care of our bodies. This includes, but is not limited to, staying hydrated, having a balanced diet, getting plenty of rest, wearing the appropriate sports gear, having proper warm ups/cool downs, as well as staying active. Another way we can stay focused is by listening to our bodies. If you are in pain, or even feeling a bit sore, listen to your body and slow down. While yes being sore can be a good sign, your body does need that rest to rebuild and refuel your energy supply. With ankle sprains being one of the top injuries recorded in football, it is important to follow these practices in order to decrease your chances of suffering this injury. While yes, we have the ability to do some things ourselves to decrease the risk of injury, sometimes we need others to help us out. The professionals at inTune are beyond excited to help educate you that chiropractic care is not just for your back, but also your extremities. By keeping your body mobile and maintaining stability in the joints, you are able to function at your highest level!

STAYING HYDRATED:

     Not only does water help moisturize your skin, but it has many other important properties. One of the many ways water helps our bodies is that it helps regulate our body temperature. Another way staying hydrated is helpful is that it helps with our energy levels. It also helps with aiding in muscle development and prevention of injury.

HAVING A WELL BALANCED DIET:

     Depending on what sport you play, or even position you play, you need to be fueling your body. When we incorporate a well balanced diet into our lifestyles the risk of fractures, sprains, tears, etc. reduces. When planning out a diet to follow, it is always best to ask for the advice of a professional. The professionals at inTune can help guide you if you have any questions.

WARMUP:

     Think of your body as if it is a vehicle, you need to be properly fueling and maintaining it. Warming up your body before exercising is a form of maintenance. When warming up, you want to make sure you are increasing your heart rate and body temperature. Remember, warmups may look different for each individual based on sport, position, and even for people who are in rehabilitation. When it comes to football, warming up the ankles properly is extremely important. Some example of football style ankle warm ups would be: 

1. Side lunges

2. Walking Lunges 

3. High Knees 

4. Sprints

COOL DOWN:

     Just like warming up, cooling down is also a form of maintenance. A cool down is important to help the athlete bring their heart rate and body temperature back to a steady state, but also to help reduce the risk of injury. A good ankle cool down you could do would be ankle circles. You can do these standing up or sitting down, and all you need to do is point your toes down and move in a clockwise motion. Do this about ten times and then go in a counterclockwise motion ten times.

STRETCH:

     Stretching is something that can be distributed into everyone's lifestyle. Stretching before or after exercise can help with flexibility and our full range of motion (ROM). It is very important to know what type of stretches to be doing during different sporting events. You want to incorporate dynamic stretches during your warmup and static stretches during your cool down. The best way to remember the difference between the two types is that dynamic stretching excites the muscle and static stretching relaxes the muscle. 

     A great example of an ankle stretch is a towel/band stretch. You will want to be sitting on the ground and take a towel/band that can be placed around the ball of your foot. Then pulling the towel/band slowly towards you, you should feel a slight pull, or tightness, within your calf muscle. 

WEARING THE PROPER GEAR/ATTIRE:

     While wearing proper gear/attire may not cut out risk entirely, it can help reduce it. You will always want to be prepared with the right attire, and be able to use it correctly and efficiently. Good footwear will help with ankle stability and decrease the risk of injury. Knowing how long you have worn the same cleats and practicing in the pair that you plan on wearing on game day are essential.

HOW WE CAN TREAT YOUR ANKLES:

     If you are in need of treatment for this injury, the doctors at inTune Chiropractic Clinic, Inc. are here to assist you. A few of the treatment options that the doctors can do for you could be an adjustment, muscle work, or piezowave. Adjustments of the ankles will help keep the joint moving in the proper motion. Muscle work would include cupping, graston, muscle stripping, and a variety of stretches/exercises to help improve the ankles mobility. The treatment performed by the doctors at inTune is very specific to the injury and the sport that the patient is involved in. We strive to make your care as personalized as possible.