Men\'s Health Australia - 11.2018

124 menshealth.com.au

CRISTIANO RONALDO SHOOK

PORTUGAL’S HOPES A MONTH BEFORE

THE2018WORLDCUPWASSETTOBEGIN

WHEN HE SPRAINED HIS ANKLE. BUT

WITH SMART REHAB, HE RETURNED TO

HAVE A STELLAR TOURNAMENT.

TOP THREAT:

SPRAIN

What it is:

A tear in one of the ligaments

• usually on the outside of
  the ankle – that supports the
  joint. Severe sprains that
  leave the ankle unstable may
  eventually damage the joint’s
  bones and cartilage.

Cause:

Stretching the ligament

beyond its limits, usually by

rolling the foot as you walk

or run on an uneven surface,

making a cutting move or

stepping on someone’s foot.

Just a month ahead of

Portugal’s 2018 World Cup

bid, star forward Cristiano

Ronaldo sprained his ankle

and had to leave the game.

“Outside of sports, the most

common scenario for men is

rolling the foot while going

down a step,” says Dr Rocco

Monto, spokesman for the

American Academy of

Orthopaedic Surgeons.

Treatment:

Rest and compress the ankle,

possibly with help from a

brace. Rehab will build

supporting muscles and

increase balance with

exercises like standing on

one foot with eyes closed

• important for preventing
  repeat sprains due to ankle
  instability. Surgery to
  reconstruct the ligament
  and brace the ankle is seldom
  advised or needed.

Defence:

Build calf muscles with

exercises like standing or

seated calf raises to increase

support around the ankle

and improve balance and

stability. “They’re like

stirrups that hold the ankle

in,” says Monto.

• HINGE
  Adjoining bones flex
  toward or extend
  away from each
  otherinaswinging
  motion along an
  axis. Ultrasmooth
  articular cartilage
  between the bones
  reduces friction as
  they move against
  each other.

ANKLE

ELBOW

HIP

Watch Out!

It’s important to keep broken

ankle bones immobile, but

that doesn’t mean you have

to be. “You want the joint to

bear weight because that

generates electrical fields

that stimulate the bone to

heal,” Monto says. Figure

on an active recovery, not

a restful one.

TYPE OF JOINT:

Ball-and-Socket

Hips have half the mobility of

shoulders but a much deeper

socket, which makes the joint

highly stable – essential for

bearing weight, running,

jumping and dancing.

TYPE OF JOINT:

Hinge

The ankle is highly stable in a neutral

standing position. But in a downward-

exed, on-your-toes position the joint

depends more on support from injury-

prone ligaments and tendons.

TYPE OF JOINT:

Hinge

Tendons attaching bones

to muscles in both the

upper and lower arm

come together in the

elbow area. Ligaments

hold bones tightly in place

and stabilise the joint.

TIGER WOODS STRAINED HIS LEFT

ELBOW IN THE LEADUP TO THE

2013 US OPEN AND MISSED A

SUBSEQUENT TOURNAMENT.

TENNIS STAR ANDY MURRAY

HAD SURGERY IN JANUARY

TO EASE HIP ISSUES AND IS

STILL FEELING HIS WAY BACK.