The ankle is a joint surrounded by a lot of tendons, ligaments, and other connective tissues. The ankle connects the feet with the legs and is therefore vital for movement.
Just like the knee, the ankle is also a critical as well as a tender joint. It also provides mobility and the ability to move freely to the legs and feet. It also supports the knee by taking on some of the body’s weight. It is the ankle which, because of its flexibility, gives us the ability to walk. The ankle is an extremely flexible joint because of which the feet can be twisted and spun.
Unfortunately, it is this flexibility of the ankle that also makes it susceptible to a lot of wear and tear. A twist in the ankle, when coming as a sudden jerk, can in fact cause unwanted pressure on the joint causing a serious injury. This jerk and twist injury is commonly known as a sprain.
A sprain can be very painful and restricts a person’s movements to a large extent. The seriousness of the sprain depends on the extent of damage sustained by the ligaments around the joint. If the ligament is stretched to a large extent it may tear, and this poses a serious problem. Due to the nature of the injury, sprained ankle recovery may need complete rest. This means that you should restrict your movement and avoid putting any weight on the sprained ankle.
A lot of rest is required to let the injured ankle recuperate. However, in a lot of cases, the ankle may keep hurting even after the joint recuperates. This pain though not always obvious, may be experienced while performing certain tasks. If not taken care of, an ankle sprain may turn into chronic ankle pain. Yoga offers some sprained ankle exercises which help in the healing and strengthening process.
Once the sprained ankle pain subsides, which usually takes about 15 to 20 days, you can consult your doctor and begin practicing yoga for strengthening sprained your ankle. If you are wondering what to do for a sprained ankle, you can start with some basic ankle stretching exercises of yoga. Squats and toe pointing exercises are a great way to stretch those muscles. However, you should not push yourself above your limits and if you experience pain, just stop and rest. Sitting in a squatting position can help you strengthen the muscles in the ankle. Normally this should not be painful. However, if you do experience pain, you should stop and show yourself to the doctor. You may need guided physiotherapy for ankle pain relief.
