If you’re a sportsperson, then you already know that sprained ankles commonly occur during the course of your training. Types of ankle sprains range from chronic to acute to simple to severe. That’s where efficient massage therapies come into the picture. The right massage techniques for acute ankle sprains offer numerous benefits.
The standard therapy for an acute ankle sprain is RICE (rest, ice, compression and elevation). It has been efficiently tried and tested by specialists. The best way is to rotate, move and aggressively touch the ankle while its tender as it can help calm the injured person.
Massage therapies should be performed at least after 48 to 72 hours at the sub-acute and acute stage by sitting in a comfortable position. Below listed are 5 massage techniques for acute ankle sprains:
- On the ligament, apply direct pressure with a single finger and start massaging slightly at a point away from the sprained area and move your way progressively towards it. Massage back and forth across the ligament to make sure that you feel the ligament under the skin. Continue for at least 5 to 10 minutes and then tape the ankle or make use of an ankle support.
- Lie on your back and try to raise the ankle to elevate it and make small circles back and forth. Stroke the sprained area with your fingertips so that you’re able to flex the ankle and the toes to a tolerable level of pain. This helps to flush the tissue with minor light movements to a bearable level of dull pain leading to proper movement of fresh blood with nutrients and proteins to move the broken-down wastes of the area.
- On sprains, keep the ankle elevated and make sure that you drink lots of fluid and eat nutritious food, preferably fresh fruits. This will instantly raise the glucose levels and help keep you from going into shock. Have a blanket handy in case you get cold and start shivering. Buy a cane and a slip-on ankle bandage which offers support and compression.
- After the period of 72 hours, therapeutic massage plays a vital role where the therapist needs to palpate the ATFL (Anterior Talofibular Ligament), CFL (Calcaneofibular Ligament) or PTFL (Posterior Talofibular Ligament) and apply cross-fiber friction to the area. This needs to be done for about 20 seconds in each location and each position. This helps to avoid the formation of scar tissue adhesions.
- Ice the sprained part using an ice-pack covered in a small towel. When at home, you can place the wet towels rolled up in the freezer and rotate them to the injured area. They make very operative cool packs. Do this as often as possible for as long as you can bear. Ice packs usually last about 20-30 minutes.If you wish to learn more about this, explore the TheraPAQ store on Amazon!
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