Principles and Techniques in Rehabilitation of the Athlete's Foot: Part III: Rehabilitation of Ankle Sprains

Ankle sprains are the most common injury encountered by athletes. Most of these injuries are minor and resolve of their own accord. Athletes suffering more serious sprains may seek the advice of an athletic trainer, therapist, or physician. Even high-grade sprains of the lateral ankle ligament complex usually do well with a structured functional rehabilitation protocol. This article is the third in a series focusing on rehabilitation techniques for the injured athlete. The article reviews anatomy and biomechanics of the normal ankle ligaments, mechanisms of injury, and a three-phase rehabilitation scheme for recovery from medial and lateral ankle ligament injury.