Ankle injuries are common occurrences that can happen to any one of us as we go about our day. It is a painful injury that can really affect our plans and could lead to permanent, long-term injuries. In this case, prevention is better cure. Here are a few ways we can minimize the risk of getting sprained ankles.

Watch where you walk

More than often, sprained ankles are caused by our clumsiness when we fail to pay attention to our surroundings. When we are distracted by our phones or other things around us, it may be hard to notice any obstacles that may be right in our path. As such, we must always pay attention to the pathway ahead of us to prevent any unwanted incidents.

Train your balance

Having a good balance can help prevent us from getting sprained ankles as we will not easily loose our balance on uneven pathways or when there are unexpected obstacles. There are ways to improve your balance, which can help prevent injuries. One way to do this is by balancing on one foot when doing simple chores or performing light upper body exercise. The nerves in your foot and ankle will continue to adjust and train the surrounding muscles in your ankle/leg/hip and even back to adapt to your movements.

Build you lower body strength

Good lower body strength will give us a stronger base and save us from an unexpected fall. Strengthening exercises like squats, lunges, dips can help develop our lower body strength.

Prepare yourself before any physical activities

It is not advisable to participate in any rigorous activities such as going on a hiking expedition or running a marathon without proper preparation. Proper physical, mental and emotional preparation is necessary to train your body to endure rigorous activities, going into the event without practice and preparation will greatly increase your risk of injury.

You should ease yourself into regular workouts and exercises that will mimic the activity that you will be participating in to train your muscle memory, so that you can better handle yourself and avoid any injury.

Utilize ankle braces

For better protection, you can use ankle braces that provide additional support to your ankles. It is a good idea to use ankle braces when participating in high-intensity sports that require rigorous movements such as basketball, badminton etc.

Use proper footwear

It is also important to use the correct shoes when participating in any physical activities. In general, you should get a shoe with a good grip to prevent slips and also a good structure so that your feet are properly protected. Additionally, always ensure that your shoelaces are properly tied as loose shoelaces are accidents waiting to happen.

Follow the tips above to minimize the risk of getting a sprained ankle when enjoying your favourite physical activity. Nonetheless, in the event that you accidentally sprain your ankle, seek the advice of a professional for proper sprained ankle treatment.