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How to Beat Bad Ankles
Ankle injuries can impair one's balance long after they heal
By Nick McMaster
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Posted Jul 8, 09 1:45 PM CDT
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(Newser)
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People who’ve sprained an ankle are likely to sprain it again, writes Gretchen Reynolds for the New York Times, but there may be a "supremely low-tech" fix: balance training. An ankle sprain interferes with the neural receptors in the ligaments that transmit balance information to the brain. Even when the sprain is healed, balance can still remain impaired—increasing the chance of a future injury.
"If you don’t mind your spouse sniggering," writes Reynolds, you can beat bad ankles at home. It’s not complicated: When your ankle has healed well enough to bear weight, simply try standing on one foot for one minute. If that’s too easy, try crossing your arms closing your eyes, or brushing your teeth while on one foot. One study noted dramatic balance improvement in a month.