Rehabbing an ankle should take a 3D approach

Your ankle moves in an unliminted number of ways but a lot of rehab programs only address the actual ligaments and tendons that have been injured and not the whole ankle.

The problem with the approach most programs take is that they only strengthen the damaged tendons/ligaments while neglecting the other parts of the ankle. This approach leaves the ankle in an unbalanced strength and flexibility condition which leaves you open to more frequent and more severe ankle sprains.

It is my opinion that ankle rehab should take a whole ankle approach. What I mean is that an ankle rehab program should strengthen the whole ankle - the uninjured parts and the injured parts at the same time so everything in the ankle joint is at the same strength and flexibility condition.

Using a 3D approach is a challenge for programs that promote straps and such because it is really hard to get the injured ankle joint to move effectively in the range of motion where the injury occured, so the other uninjured parts take a greater role in the motion, thereby causing an unbalanced situation.

This unbalanced situation can cause the ankle joint to be pulled in/ or allowed to move more freely in such a way that another ankle injury is almost guaranteed to happen.

The program that I have put together, Accelerated Ankle Rehab Program, rehabs injured ankles with a 3D approach that will let you know if you are not strengthening and stretching the entire ankle joint. You will feel it because the motion, if you are doing the program correctly is fluid and seamless. If you are doing it wrong and not strengthening and stretching all parts of the ankle, you will know because it will be "jerky".

Don't worry, the Accelerated Ankle Rehab Program is not hard to do (my 3 year old can do it very easily). The program is second nature and you can even strengthen and stretch your ankle joint while you are reading or watching TV.

Go over to www.sprainedanklerehab.com to check out more details about my story and how the program came into existence.

Next time, I'll discuss my thoughts on patches, potions and lotions and how they tie into the mental part of rehabbing your ankle.

Take care,

Bret