If you have a significant ankle sprain or have been bothered by loose ankle ligaments, you may be able to get back to full strength with the help of a minimally invasive corrective procedure. Surgery can be a great way to artificially strengthen injured ankle ligaments, but odds are it won’t be your first course of treatment. There are a number of successful alternatives to ankle ligament surgery, and we’re going to spotlight them in today’s blog.
Alternative To Ankle Ligament Surgery
If you’re hoping to see if conservative techniques can help you make enough of a recovery to avoid corrective surgery, odds are your doctor will recommend a combination of the following techniques.
Activity Modification – We’re not going to say rest, but instead we’re going to go with activity modification. We still want you to be active, because that will help pump healthy blood to the area, but you also need to be protective of the area. Avoid activities that could lead to another sprain, like competitive athletics or anything high impact. This treatment will not get your ligaments back to full strength, but it will help to prevent further damage, and that’s important.
Physical Therapy – The treatment modality that will be most effective if conservative methods are going to keep you from surgery is physical therapy. Targeted strength training exercises will gradually help these ligaments become stronger without overloading them and worsening the injury. While you can find a wide range of exercises online, it’s best to have a specific physical therapy exercise program developed by an orthopedic specialist or physical therapist.
RICE Between Sessions – When you’re not at physical therapy, help your recovery along with RICE, which stands for Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. We already touched on the rest aspect in the first point, but icing, elevating and using compression socks can help to limit swelling and inflammation in the area, which can aid in the recovery process. Again, physical therapy will be what drives home your recovery, but RICE will be helpful between sessions.
Mobility Exercises – Finally mobility exercises are a close cousin of physical therapy, but these are something you can do at home to take your rehab up a notch. Sit on the couch or in a chair and lift your injured leg off the ground. Trace the alphabet with your foot, and work on flexing it in all directions. Regaining strength in your injured ankle ligaments is important, but so too is flexibility. Do these exercises a few times a day when this motion isn’t painful.
Oftentimes these treatments can help you prevent the need for surgery, but if an operation becomes necessary, Dr. Silverman and his team are here for you. For more information about treating ankle ligament injuries or corrective surgery, reach out to Dr. Silverman and the team at Silverman Ankle & Foot today at (952) 224-8500.
