Softball Injuries - Treatment & Prevention

As a coach it is very important for you to know hot to deal with various softball injuries that can crop up during the season.  On this webpage, I will rotate information on common softball injuries.  Today, lets look at the common ankle sprain.

1. Ankle Sprain
Description:  The ligaments in the ankle that hold the bones together have been overstretched.  This happens most commonly when the ankle twists and pressure is put on the ligaments on the outside of the foot.  Ankle sprains commonly occur when an athlete is jumping or running on an uneven surface, or when an athlete puts weight on an improperly planted foot.  There are different degrees of sprains, which require different treatment and healing time.  A light sprain is when the ligaments are stretched but not actually torn.  There will be swelling but no real damage done.  A moderate sprain happens when the ligaments are partially torn but not completely so.  A severe sprain includes those injuries that caused by violent twisting, when most of the ligaments tear.  For all sprains, there will be swelling and bruising.  If there is pain on the inside of the ankle when the athlete takes a step, they should be X-rayed for a hairline fracture. 

Prevention:  It is important to wear proper foot equipment for the exercise being performed.  Wearing supportive, appropriate footwear reduces the ankle’s ability to turn and protects the foot from injury.  All exercise sessions should begin with a proper warm-up to loosen the ligaments properly and allow the ankle to achieve full range-of-motion.  These exercises may include rolling the ankle both directions, pointing and flexing the foot repeatedly, writing the alphabet with the feet, and pushing up on the balls of the feet to raise the heels off the ground before releasing back to a normal standing position.  Balance is also extremely important in preventing foot injuries, and should be practiced like any other skill.  To improve balance, have athletes raise one foot slightly off the ground and tuck it in to the other ankle.  Practice balancing for as long as possible, changing the conditions under which it is done; i.e., have athletes balance with their arms at their sides, out straight, overhead, behind the back, etc, and have them do these drills with their eyes both open and closed.

Treatment and Recovery:  The old injury treatment rule of RICE applies to ankle sprains.  RICE stands for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation.  Rest allows the injury to heal without further straining the ligaments by putting pressure on them.  It is important to allow the ankle time to heal without putting weight on it because the more pressure that is applied, the longer it will take to regrow the injured ligaments.  Ice reduces swelling by constricting the blood vessels and helps prevent bruising.  Ice should be applied in 4 20 minute intervals for several days following the injury.  Compression also reduces swelling by refusing to allow the ankle to expand.  This can be achieved by wrapping the ankle in an elastic sports bandage or wearing an ankle brace.  Elevation reduces blood flow to the injured area and helps keep swelling and bruising to a minimum.  When the pain is tolerable, the athlete should begin strengthening and range-of-motion drills.  These drills include writing the alphabet in the air with the injured foot and practicing balance by holding all the weight on the injured foot and maintaining that position for as long as possible.  If after 3-4 days there is no improvement, or if immediately after the injury the ankle is very loose, see a doctor.  Some severely sprained ligaments require surgery to fix.