College Basketball Player Returns from Ankle Injury After Just 9 Days
Amy, a 21-year-old college basketball player, “rolled” her ankle and had to be taken out of the game. After immediate swelling and pain, her team’s athletic trainer took her to urgent care for precautionary x-rays, revealing no fracture.
The next morning, Amy’s ankle was still swollen, red and painful. Amy’s trainer called Accelerated Sports Therapy & Fitness and was able to get an appointment that afternoon to initiate treatment. Amy’s evaluation revealed bruising and swelling of the ankle and foot, limited motion and a poor gait pattern.
Amy’s physical therapist designed a treatment plan to heal her pain and get her back on the basketball court.
Amy’s treatment included:
Gentle range of motion activities
Pilates reformer exercises
Thera-band resistance movements
Gentle isometrics with progression to isotonic strengthening
Vasopneumatics with ice (Game Ready)
Gait training with functional progression into running and then start/stop movements
After being seen daily as an in-season athlete, Amy’s rehabilitation program included additional cardiovascular training to maintain conditioning.