A sprained ankle is one of the most common injuries for kids and usually happens whilst playing sport, climbing trees or running in the playground. Whilst the initial incident is painful, the receiver of the sprained ankle may find some unexpected advantages of the ensuing handicap.
Advantages of a sprained ankle:
- siblings and parents become personal slaves
- an exciting story to tell their friends
- sympathy from strangers often resulting in extra sweets, TV time etc
Despite their being some advantages for the young sprainee, there are many a disadvantage for the parents:
- cancellation of your child’s sport/extra curricular activities means less ‘you’ time
- doing your child’s share of the household chores while they recline in front of the TV
- dressing your child all over again, when you’ve just spent years teaching them how to dress themselves
- medical fees
- …and most of all, a whingeing child.
So we can all agree that the cons outweigh the pros on this one, at least for the parents. Better to take preventative measures so your child can continue to feed the pets and set the table while you enjoy a glass of wine.
Preventative Must Dos:
- encourage dynamic stretching before all sports, even running in the park or playing catch in the back yard
- have old sprains checked by a doctor before the sporting season begins
- buy new shoes for the start of a new season, whether football, rubgy or basketball
- appropriate shoes for the sport
- when playing sport in a park or field, check first for potholes and divots
- …MOST IMPORTANTLY, strengthen your child’s ankles and improve their balance and proprioception by allowing them to walk around barefoot as much as possible from a young age, and purchasing barefoot style shoes (flexible, flat footed shoes like SKEANIES) for everyday wear.#
Tracy Byrne
Research Podiatrist for Skeanie
www.tracybyrne.co.uk
Twitter follow @tracyabyrne
