Understanding the risks of Ankle sprains, fractures of the foot or ankle, and effective treatment with walkers offering a Range Of Motion Control 
Foot and toe injury or fractures are a common issue among professionals engaged in a high level of physical activity including sports, athletics, and other strenuous activity that exerts pressure on the ankle. A stress fracture is a minor crack in the bone or a severe bruise on the bone. Most stress fractures or stable or internally fixed fractures occur due to overuse and repetitive use of joints. These injuries are commonly plagued by runners, athletes, or sports professionals engaged in soccer, basketball, and tennis. Fractures also occur from a sudden change in physical activity that can result from trying out a new exercise pattern, a sudden increase in workouts, or changing the workout surface like jogging on a treadmill vs. jogging outdoors. So you should take proper foot and ankle care to avoid injuries. The weight-bearing joints of the ankle, foot, and lower leg are highly vulnerable to stress fractures from repetitive use and overuse of joints, twists, sudden turns, and jumps and the joints must be able to absorb the pressure from such activities to prevent injuries or re-injuries. Therefore refraining from high-impact activities from sports and athletics for a considerable period of time is the key to recovery from a stress fracture of the foot or ankle. 
Your ankle is mainly composed of three bones namely Tibia, Fibula & Talus. The talus sits above the heel bone and supports the tibia & the fibula i.e. the thinner bone found next to the tibia.
This blog primarily aims to guide patients to prevent future injury, re-injury, or recurrence of any type of injury of the foot, toe, and ankle that includes:
Wear proper shoes – Under any circumstances, you shouldn’t underestimate the importance of wearing proper shoes that fits your toe and foot for everyday walking, jogging, and physical activity including sports and athletics. You should select the proper shoes that fit your foot and lend comfort and support and should be designed to withstand the amount of wear and tear from pressure exerted on the foot while doing that strenuous activity.
Stretching exercise and mobility – Your ankle mobility is of high importance for ensuring good health of joints and overall foot and toe health. Poor ankle mobility is recipe for disaster when it comes to poor or insufficient exercise. Ankle mobility, and flexing your ankle joints, muscles, and tendons are critical for full Range Of Motion and optimum performance of the ankle and foot mobility.
Change your shoes and socks when they’re damp or wet – When you’re active throughout the day from physical activity like sports, athletics, jogging, or walking your feet sweats causing shoes and socks to be damp. Damp shoes and socks are a perfect breeding ground for fungal infections that can grow on your feet and toenails. When your feet sweat, it is in your best interest of yourself to change your socks and shoes too often to avoid infections that might lead to Athletes’ foot and toenail fungus.
Cross training – If you are an athlete it is of high importance to realize the risks and hazards of foot and toe injury. You should consider cross-training to minimize the risks of injury that happen in high-action sports like athletics, running, basketball, and soccer. Cross training may not be the primary level of sporting action but low-impact sports like exercise and pilates allow your feet & ankles to rest and recover from any recent injury.
There are several Risk Factors included for inflammation and strains of the ankle.
Grade 1 ankle sprains (Mild) are mild and occur when the ligaments are overstretched but only a small number of fibers are torn. The ankle becomes tender and swollen. Generally, the injury heals with RICE therapy but the ankle remains susceptible to re-injury and the patient needs to wear a brace or support during any strenuous activity. Grade 2 ankle sprains (Moderate) generally involve a partial tear of ligaments but with more fibers than grade 1 causing swelling, inflammation, bruising and excessive pain, and difficulty bearing weight due to instability of joints. Patients with grade 2 sprains must consult an orthopedic surgeon who may prescribe a splint or crutches for several weeks to immobilize the ankle and reduce stress on the ankle joint. In certain specific cases, patients require prescriptive medications besides anti-inflammatory drugs to relieve pain and provide additional relief. In Grade 3 ankle sprains (Severe) the ligament is completely torn causing severe pain, discomfort, widespread swelling and bruising, loss of joint function, and inability to bear weight. 
Treatment protocol for foot, toe, and ankle injuries include:
Physical Therapy – Upon a visit to your orthopedic surgeon, he will check the condition of the foot, monitor your gait pattern, and recommend a series of routine tests to detect the condition of the bones, joints, and any possible cause of injury. He will suggest physical therapy that includes strengthening the foot, ankle, and lower leg muscles which are considered the primary treatment method which will be prescribed for the underlying condition in addition to prescriptive medications.
Rehabilitation Exercises – Specific range of exercises that strengthen the muscles of the foot, ankle and lower leg help improve the symptoms of foot drop/drag in some specific cases. Exercises are very vital for the improvement of Range Of Motion, strengthening of joints, muscles, balance, and significant gait patterns,s and further preventing muscle stiffness. Fixed Walkers with inflatable booty – Your surgeon will recommend the usage of Walkers with that supports early functional mobilization, stabilization of the joints and the foot & permits physiological gait due to the special sole design adapted for the foot. The walker will stabilize your foot and ankle and secure to stabilize the lower leg while walking due to the rocker sole for gait. With the advancement of technology, doctors are now recommending the usage of Walkers for rehabilitation post-surgery of foot or toe to minimize re-injury that occurs from overuse.
On seeking consultation with your physician, especially an orthopedic surgeon, he will freely discuss at length on nature of the problem of your foot & ankle, check your gait, take details of your family history for any genetic cause and diagnose the ankle problem through a series of routine tests like X-RAY, MRI scan to help ascertain any visible sign of injury & fractures of the ankle and the condition of the foot. Generally, treatment includes rehabilitation & physiotherapy which are the basic treatment modalities available for safe recovery. Further, the treatment procedure adopted under the guidance of a trained physiotherapist is quite simple and effective in the long run by using a Walker with Range of Motion control and physiological gait due to a special sole design as recommended by your orthopedic surgeon. You need to rest your foot & ankle as much as possible till full recovery and avoid excessive pressure on the ankle joint. You should therefore opt for a walker with a Range of Motion control that supports early functional mobilization and stabilization and supports a natural gait pattern.
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