If you have had an ankle sprain…
- You are twice as likely to re-injure that same ankle within 1 year.
- You’re ankle has the highest lifetime re-injury rate of any other lower limb injury.
- You have a 70% likelihood of developing chronic ankle symptoms.
Chronic Ankle Symptoms can include:
- Pain
- Persistent swelling
- Ankle joint feeling unstable
- Ankle joint giving way
- Recurrent ankle injury/sprain
- Reduced function (i.e. unable to play sport)
Re-injury is primarily caused by:
- Insufficient rehabilitation
- Premature return to sport/activity/hobby
Principle factors contributing to Chronic Ankle Instability:
- Impaired proprioception.
- Weakness in the peroneal muscles and other muscles in the foreleg.
- Reduced range of motion in the ankle joint.
What is Prorioception?
Proprioception is the ability of a joint to know where it is, or what position it is in.
Example: When your eyes are closed, you you are able to tell whether your finger is bent or straight. This ability is proprioception.
The sensors for proprioception are contained in your ligaments.
When you sprain or tear ligaments in your ankle, these sensors for proprioception are damaged.
The ability of proprioception must be rehabilitated.
Sean’s Approach
- Assess and Diagnose
- Determine to what extent each of the above factors is specifically affecting your ankle(s).
- Rehabilitate your ankle
- Strengthen the weak muscles
- Retrain the proprioception in your ligaments
- Increase range of motion in the ankle joint
Appointment 1: Biomechanical Assessment
If you have never attended Sean for an appointment before, then you will undergo a full biomechanical assessment specifically tailored to the ankle joint.
A biomechanical assessment is essential to ensure that you are a suitable candidate for the Myloux assessment tool.
This assessment will highlight any issues in the foot, foreleg, knee, thigh, hip or pelvis that might be putting the ankle under increased pressure.
You will be given an exercise programme and/or receive treatment to address any issued observed.
Appointment 2: Myolux Assessment
A Myolux assessment involves wearing a boot on your foot that destabilises the ankle.
You will perform up to 6 tasks while wearing this boot (normally 2-3 in your first appointment, tailored to your ability).
Each of these tasks will test the ankle in a different way to examine the three factors previously mentioned:
- Priprioception
- Muscle Strength
- Range of Motion
Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation Appointments
A rehabilitation programme will be developed individually tailored to the results of your Myolux Assessment.
As part of this programme, it is recommended that you attend for a series of rehabilitation appointments on the Myolux Tool in our clinic.
For a sports person who has been prevented from playing due to ankle instability, we recommend two sessions per week for 6 weeks. Clinical research as well as our past experience has indicated that you will experience excellent results in this short time frame.
Home Exercise Programme
In addition to the programme carried out in our clinic, Sean will also proscribe you home exercises to further progress your rehabilitation.
To facilitate this you will be provided with a Myolux Soft device. This is an identical destabilising device without the assessment features, and enables you to replicate the clinic rehabilitation at home.
Sean Flynn Physiotherapy 