Hello, my name is Sato and I run J-CLINIC, a physiotherapy and acupuncture clinic in Bangkok.
Today, I’m going to talk about N, an 11-year-old boy who sprained his ankle playing soccer.
Many people who’ve sprained their ankles say they thought they could just put a poultice on it and it would heal. But if the ankle has been twisted hard, the ankle ligaments may be torn or partially damaged.
Torn or damaged ligaments need to be treated early. Without treatment, the ankle joint may not return to its healthy state and remain unstable.
When jumping to head the ball during a practice soccer game, N collided with an opponent. He lost his balance and landed hard on a twisted left foot.
N injured the anterior talofibular ligament from twisting his foot strongly inward when landing from a jump.
N wanted to participate in a soccer tournament in one month’s time, so we aimed for an early recovery with treatment based on electrotherapy.
The electric current flowing through the human body is called the “biological current.” Microcurrent therapy uses a weak electric current similar to the biological current and is effective in repairing tissues and enabling early recovery from injuries and pain. It’s commonly used in the sports world.
Pain is effectively relieved through combined use of (1) high-voltage electricity to loosen tension in the superficial muscles and (2) ultrasound to relax the deeper muscles that can’t be reached by hand. The combination therapy also repairs cells and is one of the most popular forms of care used by professional athletes.
Ultrasound/high-voltage therapy
In addition to electrotherapy, we used massage to loosen the tension in N’s muscles around the ankle. We also immobilized his ankle with taping and support.
N came to the clinic every day for the first four days, and by the fourth day, he recovered enough to be able to walk normally.
After the pain eased, N underwent rehab to increase his range of motion in the joints that had stiffened from been immobilized. He also did strength training targeting those muscles weakened by the injury.
Two weeks later, he was jogging and a month later, N was able to participate in the soccer tournament as he had hoped.
Some root issues made N’s injury more likely:
In the later stages of treatment, we taught N exercises and stretches to strengthen those muscles and improve his flexibility to prevent a recurrence. We also adjusted the balance of his body.
In sports such as basketball, soccer, and gymnastics, ankle injuries are said to be the second most common injury after knee injuries.
If you take sprains lightly and don’t get proper treatment and rehabilitation, you may be left with pain or ankle instability. Ankle pain may also strain other parts of your body, which may then show up as knee, hip, or back pain. These will keep you from performing at your best.
Initial treatment of a sprain is very important.
The RICE procedure is a good first-aid treatment for sprains.
The longer it takes to get proper treatment, the slower the sprain will heal and the longer the treatment will take. So do see a medical professional as soon as possible!
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From BTS Phrom Phong Station, take Exit 5 and walk along Sukhumvit towards Asoke for about 5 minutes. RSU Tower will be on your right. Take the escalator up to Floor 4 and you will see us right in front of you. If you are coming by car, parking is available at RSU Tower and is free up to 2 hours when you are treated at J-CLINIC.
Our Thonglor clinic is on the basement level of Home Place Building, at the corner of Sukhumvit Soi 55 and Thonglor Soi 13.
If you are coming by BTS, please take a taxi from BTS Thonglor Station, Exit 3.
If you are coming by car, parking is available at Home Place Building and is free up to 4 hours when you are treated at J-CLINIC.
Bangkok Mediplex is a general medical mall on Sukhumvit Soi 42, across from Gateway Ekkamai and directly connected to BTS Ekkamai Station. J-CLINIC Ekkamai branch will be on the 3rd floor of Mediplex.
If you come from BTS Ekkamai Station, go through exit 2. It connects directly to Bangkok Mediplex. Take the escalator up to the 3rd floor and you will see our clinic on your right.
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