Hiker’s Guide to the Prevention and Treatment of Sprained Ankles

What to do if you sprain your ankle while hiking in the wild

 Today we learn what to do if you sprain your ankle while in the wild, how to prevent injury, how to test the strength of your ankles, and what small item should be packed in both your day pack and backpack.  Sprained ankles are one of the most common injuries we have while out in the wild.

Dr. Christopher Segler aka Doc on the Run

Say you’re out hiking in the middle of nowhere and BAAM!  You turn your ankle! Dr. Segler gives us an amazing interview on what to do if you twist your ankle and think you’ve sprained it, how to prevent such injuries in the first place, why buying too big of hiking shoes or boots may not be the best idea, he gives us an ankle strengthening exercise, plus offers us a helpful self-test to see if we are at risk of a sprained ankle (see my video below).  Who knew ankles could be so interesting?!!!

A little about Dr. Segler…

Here’s a doctor who walks the walk – or I should say runs the run, as he is an athlete himself!  Dr. Segler dedicates his practice to helping athletes prevent and also treat their injuries without losing the conditioning they’ve worked so hard formaking him the perfect doctor to talk to about figuring out what to do when you are out in the wild and you hurt yourself and need to keep going.  See below for a more detailed bio on this amazing doctor.

 Here’s what we cover on the podcast:

True story about Adam and a sprained ankle while climbing in Yosemite

What they should have done

How to assess a twisted ankle

Why you should keep a compression sock in your day pack or back pack

How to assess whether it’s ok to use it after you’ve twisted it

The difference between a sprain and a fracture

When you should use Vitamin I (ibuprophen) and how much to take.  What are the counter indicators.

How to prevent a sprain

How you can ‘ice’ down your sprained ankle in a creek to reduce and minimize swelling

Can your ankle get too swollen for your boot?

If you’ve ever had a sprain, you are at higher risk of future sprains even if it’s been years.

How to do a stork-like self-test to check the stability and strength of your ankles

How to do a quick exercise to build up your ankle strength and stability.

Benefits of a wobble board

We talk about the pros and cons of hiking shoes versus boots.  Do we HAVE to buy leather?

Compare synthetic to leather.  How to test if a boot is strong enough by trying to twist the sole.

Why it’s NOT a good idea to buy boots a size too big.

If you want to use different inserts, bring them with you when you shop for your new pair.  Make sure your toe bends where the boot bends.

Dr. Segler goes deep in each episode to help athletes heal (Hey! We’re Adventurers, doesn’t that make us somewhat of an ‘athlete’???) without losing conditioning and without giving up the sport they love!  Check out his podcast episodes by clicking on the box to the left!

3 Minutes to Stronger Ankles When Running on Trails from Dr Christopher Segler on Vimeo.

Author of:

Runner’s Heel Pain: Self-Diagnosis and Self-Treatment, House Calls Startup Manual: How to Run a Low-overhead, High-profit Practice and Get Your Life Back

Connect with Dr. Segler on Facebook

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