Ankle Sprain Injury Prevention

Outdoor Running In Autumn/Winter: Ankle Sprain Injury Prevention

Autumn and winter can be a risky time of year to enjoy outdoor running. Many people visit our clinic with different types of ankle injuries due to slipping on wet leaves or falling on ice or snow. In this post, our podiatrists provide you with injury prevention techniques for running outdoors during the cold seasons.

What is an Ankle Sprain?

A lot of runners have experienced an ankle sprain while embracing the great outdoors, so don’t worry – you’re definitely not alone! When your ankle is forced to move out of its normal position, it can overstretch the ankle and cause a sprain. Runners will know this scenario all too well – it can happen from landing in an awkward position, on an uneven surface or falling over.

You can usually tell if your ankle is sprained because it’ll become swollen or bruised soon after the injury occurs. It can be difficult to move the foot properly too.

Treating Your Injury

If you’ve had an ankle injury during this Autumn season, we advise that you use PEACE & LOVE:

During the first few days make sure to:

Protect the ankle by avoiding activities and movements that lead to an increase in pain for the 1^st few days

Elevate the injured limb higher than the heart as often as possible

Avoid anti-inflammatory medicine as they reduce tissue healing

Use compression to reduce swelling

Educate yourself on your injury

And after the first few days have past, you should use:

Load – let pain guide your gradual return to normal activities. Your body will tell you when it is safe to return

Optimism – condition your brain for optimal recovery by being positive and confident

Vascularisation – Choose pain free cardiovascular activities to increase blood flow to repairing tissue

Exercise – Restore mobility, strength and proprioception by adopting an active approach to recovery 

(Credit: IG The Clinic Running)

Ankle Sprain Prevention

It can be quite daunting to seek professional treatment during these uncertain times, but there are some exercises you can do at home improve strength and stability and reduce the risk of ankle sprain injury.

Autumn/Winter Precautions

It can be difficult to find the motivation to run outdoors during the Autumn and Winter months. But remember – being well prepared is key to preventing an ankle injury.

Take time to load the tissue in the lower limb before going running. It’s handy to know the route and to stick to well-lit areas when braving the great outdoors in Autumn and Winter.

Here are some great ways prepare for your run: