…had an ankle sprain?  Did you know that re-injury after an ankle sprain is as high as 80% ?

As some of you may know I’m working on my Master’s in Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine.  It is very interesting how much I’m learning in classes and what all can be translated into supporting our members at the box.  Recently we were studying ankle sprains and since our philosophy at CFWH is all about complete wellness  I thought I’d share a discussion post by yours truly… enjoy!  P.S. big shout out to our coaches for supporting our fitness goals by always incorporating mobility work!

Through the readings this week and personal experience it is known that taking steps to prevent ankle sprains is very important.  One article states, “it seems that deficits of the proprioceptive system are the main cause of muscle weakness and postural instability after ankle sprain.” The proprioceptive system was something I wasn’t familiar with, so I’ve simply described it as balance of the body’s parts to support movement.  With that information the main focus of prevention should be supporting muscle strength and postural stability.

Key elements included in ankle sprain prevention:

• Flexibility and balance training for whole body, particularly spinal (the core), lower and upper legs, calves, ankles and feet
• Strength training for muscle stability
• Stretching daily, especially before and after activity
• Gait coaching or support (ensuring proper posture while upright)

Additional key elements:

• Balanced blood sugar– low blood sugar can cause dizziness leading to less stability and more falls
• Amino acid (AAs) support- glutamine post activity, supporting HCl production to digest protein and absorb AAs, rotating protein sources to ensure a balance of AAs is consumed
• Add gelatin to support joint and digestive health – see tips 7 and 8 https://wellnessmama.com/7419/gelatin-uses/
• Optimal level of nutrients to support brain and muscle health- which will help with stability and balance
• Electrolyte balance- optimizing mineral intake; my favorite trick as some of you know is adding a small pinch of REAL SALT into your water bottles!
• Adequate rest

An interesting article I found discussing nutrition and sports injury was discussing dancers, who have a high percentage of eating disorders, and the effect poor nutrient intake has on their professional skills of dancing.  The article states, “health care practitioners should utilize well-documented advice in encouraging dancers toward a healthy energy and fluid intake.”  Additionally the researchers found “more injuries tended to occur in the evening, toward the end of the season, and during performances; these all suggest fatigue as a contributing factor.”  While all athletes are not dancers these same practices can be helpful in preventing AND treating ankle sprains.

Read this article for more information https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3871955/

I asked Rob to weigh in and he said, “many of the injuries in CF can be traced to the feet.  Many of us have had injuries in the past (ankle sprains, knees, etc. ). These past injuries may cause slight compensation enough to create issues up the chain.”  So, point of the story is take it easy on those ankles, stretch them out, and support your body’s foundation with great nutrition!

P.s. Are you sleepless?  Stay tuned for some helpful tips AND A FREE SEMINAR on optimal sleep!  Ryan said there may even be a sleep challenge… don’t tell him I told you that!

In wellness,

Steph