Ankle sprains are common in soccer. Prevention and initial treatment of the ankle sprain will improve return to play and reduce the incidence and re-injury, maximizing performance on the field. www.bauerpt.com

1. Ankle Injuries
Treatment and Prevention
For the
Soccer Athlete
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2. What Is A Sprain?
 Sprain (Definition):
 A sprain involves ligaments
 Ligaments support joints providing stability
 When stretched or torn, a joint can become
unstable
 The outside of the ankle is the most
commonly sprained
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3. Mechanism of Injury
 The lateral ankle sprain occurs as a result
of turning the outside (lateral) aspect of
the ankle
 This is called an inversion sprain
 This may occur when landing on an
opposing players leg/foot, twisting, cutting,
or slide tackling
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4. Treatment of Ankle Sprain
 Rest – Avoid weight bearing/exercise if
painful or swollen
 Ice – Application of cold pack or soak in
cold water
 Compress – Wrapping the ankle controls
swelling and provides support
 Elevate – Raising the ankle above the
heart with support helps reduce swelling
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5. Medial Management
 Medical Assessment
 If there is pain, swelling, limited mobility, and is painful
when walking
 X-rays to rule out fracture
 Physical Therapy
 Promote healing
 Restore mobility, strength, endurance, and agility
 Return to play testing
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6. Promote Healing
 Protect
 Immobilize to allow healing of ligaments
(brace, boot, compress wrap)
 Crutches may be used to avoid increased
stress with gait
 Must allow ligament to completely heal or
chronic instability may occur
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7. Mobility
 Restoring ankle after an injury, or
prevention of ankle injuries, requires
normal mobility of the ankle
 Perform ABC’s one time through tracing
letters in the air, A to Z
 Perform foot circles in the air, 25 each
clockwise and 25 each counter-clockwise
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8. Ankle Balance
 Injury to ligaments can damage joint positioning
and awareness. If not restored, this may lead to
chronic injuries.
 Beginning Balance – Stand on leg with slight bend.
Practice reaching leg opposite leg forward, side and
backward. Continue for 1 min.
 Advanced Balance – Perform this exercise with eyes
closed.
 Specific Balance – Stand on injured leg and practice
lightly kicking soccer ball to helper with inside,
outside, and front of free leg.
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9. Strength & Endurance
 Increasing the strength and endurance of
the ankle and foot muscles helps to
provide additional support and protection
of the ankle ligaments/joint.
 Ankle strength and endurance can be
performed with body weight and resistive
exercise (manual, bands).
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10. Strength & Endurance
 Increasing the muscle’s ability to perform
repeated work will require adding repetitions and
sets of activity.
 This can begin with 1 to 3 sets of exercise.
 Repetitions can begin at 10 and build to 20-30
reps.
 Progressing the activities must be performed
without increased pain, swelling, or stiffness.
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11. Return-to-Play Guidelines
 Criteria for ankle injuries in soccer includes:
 Restoration of full mobility, strength, and endurance of
ankle and leg muscles.
 Restoration of full balance, agility, and speed, that
meet the demand for performance and skill on the
soccer field.
 Physical tests include: Hopping, change of direction,
jumping, speed in all directions and ball handling/passing.
 Further protection/prevention of ankle injury can be provided
by ankle braces and/or taping of the ankle.
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12. Ankle Injuries
 Randy Bauer PT, ATC
 rbauer@bauerpt.com
 Bauer Physical Therapy: Laguna Hills
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