We have the following blog posts written about all forms of pain and ways to alleviate pain through exercise, proper movement and physical therapy.
Something that most people don’t think about on a regular basis is balance problems. Often times we think that it comes with age, which is true, but there are younger people that also suffer from balance problems, and I think it is important that we all understand what causes them and how it feel for those who have them.
If you have been reading my blog you’ll know that the other week I wrote part one of a two part series about ankle fractures. In A Guide To Ankle Fractures – Part One I talked about the different kinds of fractures and how to recognize each. In this blog I want to focus on how physical therapy can help, and what the different treatment options are.
How Can a Physical Therapist Help?
When you go to visit your physical therapist after your injury and an ankle fracture is suspected, your physical therapist will do the following:
– Instruct you in how to take care of the injury using rest, ice, compression, and elevation – the RICE formula.
– Immobilize your ankle by wrapping it with a wrap, or applying a brace to limit motion and control the swelling.
– Apply ice to reduce pain and swelling.
– Instruct you to keep your ankle elevated to control swelling.
– Help you choose the right walking aid so that you are not putting weight on the injured ankle.
– Make recommendations for additional care with an orthopedic physician or emergency department.
As much as it is important to know what a physical therapist can do to help an injury I think it is just important to understand the injury itself. Part of clients being an active part of their own recovery is knowledge, so I decided to write a two part series about ankle fractures.
With that being said let’s dive right in!
What is an Ankle Fracture?
An ankle fracture is what happens when you completely or partially break a bone on one or both sides of your ankle joint. There are several types of ankle fractures, and 1, 2, or 3 bones may be fractured in each case.
It is not surprising to hear that after a major injury or illness, you might need some help with walking and moving around in general – especially if you’ve had surgery, fractured a bone or are generally feeling weak.
Those things, along with balance issues, will cause you to lose normal use of your legs, which is where a mobility device may be necessary. It is important for you to know what your options are so that you can continue to live life comfortably and maintain your independence.
That being said I thought it would be beneficial to talk a little bit about the different kinds of mobility devices that are used in physical therapy.
This post might be a little different than what I normally write about, but I thought it was an interesting topic to discuss because not a lot of people who what proprioceptive exercises are! I always believe that knowledge is power – so with that being said, what are proprioceptive exercises, and why do they matter to athletes?
