This is the conclusion of a study published in the The Journal of Sports Science and Medicine and the subject of a recent New York Times article.
Researchers at The University of North Carolina subjected mice to ankle sprains of different severities and then tracked their activity levels until their deaths.
Mice who had received more severe sprains were less active than those who had received milder sprains. They also recorded slower running speeds.
The same effect has been shown in humans, albeit over shorter periods, with those suffering from long term ankle instability taking on average 2000 less steps a day.
The authors think this most common of injuries may have long term consequences. Previous studies have shown patients with chronic ankle instability suffer with functional limitations and a poorer health-related quality of life.
Pain and injury negatively effect the contractile capability of the muscular system. A single incident can cause changes that may last a lifetime.
If you’ve sprained your ankle recently, or this is something that happens to you frequently, book a free consultation and get yourself assessed.
This situation is reversible with Muscle Activation Techniques and targeted resistance training.