How can you use plyometric training to rehabilitate ankle sprains?

1 What is plyometric training?

Plyometric training is a form of functional training that involves explosive movements that stretch and contract your muscles rapidly. Think of jumping, hopping, skipping, or bounding. These exercises challenge your neuromuscular system, improve your power and agility, and strengthen your connective tissues. Plyometric training can also enhance your proprioception, which is your ability to sense and control your body position and movement.

2 Why is plyometric training good for ankle sprains?

When you sprain your ankle, you damage the ligaments that stabilize your joint. This can impair your proprioception and make your ankle more unstable and prone to re-injury. Plyometric training can help you restore your proprioception and improve your ankle stability by stimulating the nerve endings in your muscles, tendons, and ligaments. By performing plyometric exercises, you can train your ankle to react quickly and adapt to different surfaces and directions. This can reduce your pain, swelling, and stiffness, and increase your range of motion and function.

3 How to start plyometric training after an ankle sprain?

Before you jump into plyometric training, you need to make sure that your ankle is ready. You should consult your doctor or physical therapist for a proper diagnosis and treatment plan. You should also follow the RICE protocol (rest, ice, compression, elevation) and do some gentle exercises to reduce inflammation and promote healing. You should avoid any activities that cause pain or discomfort in your ankle.

Once your ankle is healed enough, you can start with some low-intensity plyometric exercises that are appropriate for your level of fitness and injury. You should always warm up properly and wear supportive shoes. You should also pay attention to your form and technique, and avoid landing on your toes or rolling your ankle. You should start with low repetitions and gradually increase the intensity, frequency, and duration of your plyometric sessions. You should also vary the exercises, surfaces, and directions to challenge your ankle in different ways.

4 What are some examples of plyometric exercises for ankle sprains?

Plyometric exercises are an effective way to rehabilitate ankle sprains, and some examples include ankle hops, lateral hops, forward-backward hops, box jumps, and single-leg box jumps. To perform ankle hops, stand on one leg and hop up and down on the same spot. Make sure to keep your knee slightly bent and land softly on your forefoot. For lateral hops, stand on one leg and hop sideways over a line or cone before landing on the same leg and hopping back to the starting position. Similarly, you can perform forward-backward hops by hopping forward over a line or cone before hopping back to the starting position. Box jumps involve standing in front of a box or step that is about knee-high and jumping onto it with both feet before stepping down and repeating. Single-leg box jumps are similar but involve standing on one leg in front of a box or step that is about ankle-high before jumping onto it with the same leg. As you progress, you can increase the height of the box for both exercises.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?