OBX Chiropractic Care for Ankle Injuries

Today we will look at ankle injuries and Chiropractic treatment.  Ankle injuries can occur because of work conditions, spinal problems, and sports, such as running, snowboarding, football, and surfing.

Ankle injuries need to be taken care of immediately.  We spend so much time walking and standing that an ankle injury will almost certainly worsen if untreated.  This seems to be well known in America; roughly 5% of emergency room visits are for ankle injuries.

The two common ankle injuries that we all know are sprains and strains.  A sprain is an injury to ligaments whereas a strain is an injury to muscle.  Sprains are the most common type, involved in 75% of ankle injuries.

Chiropractic treatment for ankle injuries begins with an examination.  X-rays are generally taken at the outset to see if there is a fracture.

Once the injury is diagnosed, treatment usually involves the following:

• Ankle Adjustment – An ankle injury will almost certainly require direct ankle adjustment.  Direct ankle adjustment reduces pain and helps improve ankle function and range of motion.
• Spinal Adjustment – It is not uncommon for ankle injuries to be caused by spinal problems.  An out of balance spine can cause you to “favor” one side of your body, thereby putting too much stress on one ankle.
• Exercise for Strength – A weak ankle is more likely to be injured than a strong ankle.  Exercises for increasing ankle strength will help prevent future injuries.
• Exercise for Balance – As mentioned above, ankle injuries may be caused by too much stress being put on one ankle on a regular basis.  Exercises for improving balance, posture, or muscle response will help to retrain your body to distribute stress evenly between both legs.

If you are suffering from ankle pain, seek treatment immediately.  Dr. Craig McGiffin is your chiropractor on the Outer Banks.  Dr. Craig can help you with your ankle injury and work with you to prevent ankle injuries in the future.