As a leading Osteopath in Henleaze, I often get asked by patients where is the best place for ankle injury treatment in Bristol.
An experienced Osteopath will treat the whole body, and I am often presented with patients requiring ankle injury treatment in Bristol.
Lower limb/leg and ankle issues often play a part in other injuries higher up the body such as the pelvis and lower back.
Pelvis and low back issues can also predispose the body to poor ankle stability and leave patients vulnerable to injury.
What is the most common ankle injury?
A twisted ankle or inversion strain, where a patient rolls the ankle over and commonly damages the outer ligaments of the ankle, is the most common ankle injury I treat at my Henleaze clinic.
These can vary in severity from a mild ligament strain to a full ligament tear and even a complete ankle fracture. Most of these are treatable with Osteopathic intervention although the more severe of these (the fractures) often need hospital referral.
My Osteopathic approach to diagnostics and treatment can help speed up healing and support rehabilitation back to normal function.
How can a Bristol Osteopath treat ankle injuries?
Osteopathic treatments will enhance and promote healing at the ankle, as well as restore good working function.
I will also identify and treat any distant causes or resulting issues from the ankle injury.
This could be further up the leg, pelvis, or lower back and even foot biomechanical issues.
What exercises are good for an injured ankle?
Exercise and rehab are the keys to restoring good function to an injured ankle and indeed in the whole limb.
Stability, mobility, balance and proprioception are key elements often lost due to ankle injury and my Osteopathic approach will pay close attention to exercises to restore these key elements for joint health (not just in the ankle but throughout the body).
How can ankle injuries be prevented?
I recommend patients take on a sensible and graded approach to training if they are engaging in sport.
The key and most important aspect of ankle (and leg) injury prevention is to focus on balance and stability (proprioceptive) preventative exercises. These will strengthen and stabilize the ankle and limb and best protect/prevent ankle injuries.
For sports people the right equipment is vital.
For example, I often see runners in poor training shoes or squash players in running shoes. These represent an ankle injury waiting to happen.
Nutrition and hydration are also critical to maintaining joint and overall body health.
Check out this recent blog post to get advice on how to avoid injuries in Spring.
To find out more about how an Osteopath in Bristol can help you with injury rehab, please visit here.
To book with me at my Henleaze osteopathic clinic in Bristol, please visit here.