WAG badly sprained ankle practice schedule

[Deleted member 17723]

Can anyone give me some good exercises and skills to do with a grade 2, nearly grade 3 (less than an 1/8 of an inch more to make it a full tear) sprained ankle? It's the middle of meet season so I don't want to stop practicing. I was provided a lace up ankle brace by my orthopedic to wear for 6 weeks. Would handstands, cartwheels, etc. be ok? What skills can I safely perform without further damaging it? My doctor actually encouraged I go to the gym and do upper body and bars-can I do some beam as well? Please help

 

[flips123]

I'm no medical professional, but I seem to be a professional ankle sprainer, so while my advice may be relevant, it may not be what YOU should do.

5 years ago I got a grade 2 from stepping off of a mat, and that ankle will be forever messed up. The doctor told me 2-3 weeks but I had a bad coach who forced me to walk on it after a week (she claimed the other girls at school had seen me walking around on it).

Coming back before my ankle was ready caused me to resprain it over and over. The tendons (ligaments?) are way stretched out. I wear a heavy duty ankle brace as a precaution now and also because I don't trust that ankle. If I step on a slightly uneven surface it tends to give out. I've worked on strengthening it but it's still not normal. Now the sprains aren't as bad because I'm so used to them and I assume because the tendons are stretched out. I have a feeling it's going to need some work when I'm older.

What I'm saying is that if you take care of it now (RICE that puppy up) and stay off of it, it has the potential to heal wonderfully and be completely normal. If you don't, you may end up like me with a wonky, super weak ankle. Just don't be dumb about it like I was.

So yes to conditioning, maybe to some bars and no to landings/beam (and obviously floor and vault too lol)

 

[3gymgirlsmom]

My ODD just severly sprained her ankle doing BHS , she goes to the gym and does upper conditioning and things that do not hurt her ankle, she also is going to a physical therapist too , for help on healing as best as she can . I keep reminding her she is young and will not want to have issues long down the road of she can help it.