Top Five Ways For Basketball Players To

Prevent Ankle Sprains

Ankle sprains can be very debilitating and can significantly hinder an athletes performance. Did you know that there are highly effective ways and preventing ankle sprains from occurring? These are some of the top ways to help you play at a high-level and participate year round.

Perform Single Leg Exercises

It is extremely important to make sure your foot and ankle is as strong as possible. Performing single leg exercises especially barefoot can help strengthen the intrinsic muscles of the foot causing it to be less unstable.

Perform Agility And Quick Foot Drills

The proprioceptor’s which are little sensory receptors in your foot and ankle that help us balance and sense change of direction need to be stimulated appropriately so that in a game or practice situation your body remembers how to move the right way. Change the speed, and direction to keep your receptors firing.

Wear The Right Shoes

Sometimes when selecting footwear we tend to lean on how they look or what the pro athlete is wearing. Everyone’s foot type is different and we must do a good job in matching our foot type to the right shoe. If you have a high arch wear a cushion shoe, if you have flatfeet you may need some more stability in your shoe.

Use Braces And Taping Appropriately

Sometimes people get so reliant or fearful of ankle sprains that they primarily rely on taping or bracing their ankles. It’s important to train our muscles and receptors to be strong and efficient but sometimes overutilizing bracing or taping can actually make our ankles weaker.

Be Assessed By A Professional

Some people are more prone to have ankle sprains based on their history, foot structure, lower body flexibility and or a lack of strength/balance. At Impact Physical Therapy we perform full body assessments which can be extremely important in preventing and rehabbing ankle sprains. If you’re wanting to become a better athlete or learn exclusive strategies and techniques to prevent injury join our free Newsletter.

 

“Champions are not made on the night of the big event but years before by athletes who dedicate themselves to championship principles. “