Acute Ankle Sprain in Elite Athletes: How to Get Them Back to the Game?

Abstract

Despite the high frequency of ankle sprains, the ideal management is controversial, and a significant percentage of patients sustaining an ankle sprain never fully recover. There is strong evidence that residual disability of ankle joint injury is often caused by an inadequate rehabilitation and training program and early return to sports. Therefore, the athlete should start their criteria-based rehabilitation and gradually progress through the programmed activities, including cryotherapy, edema relief, optimal weight-bearing management, range of motion exercises for ankle dorsiflexion improvement, triceps surae stretching, isometric exercises and peroneus muscles strengthening, balance and proprioception training, and bracing/taping.