Most athletes are familiar with injuries involving the ankle and hamstring muscles; it is not known whether these injuries related, or if they serve as risk factors for one another.
Such injuries can force the athlete to take time off training and eventually affect their professional career.
A hamstring injury is often caused by tightness in the hamstring muscles whereas an ankle injury is associated with factors such as foot posture problems, wide feet, poor movement coordination, etc.
There is growing evidence that certain parts of the lower body can play a role in the development of injuries in other areas of the body.
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For example, previous studies have suggested that altered movement of the foot and ankle can cause – pain in the knee, changes in the function of the hip and pelvis as well as low back pain.
The authors of this study aimed to find out whether a previous injury in any part of the lower body could become a risk factor for injuries in a different location within the same region.
Athletes with first-time injuries to the ankle and hamstring muscles were assessed through their 17-year medical records at the Sports Medicine Clinic of National Team Elite Track & Field Centre of Northern Greece in Thessaloniki.
Hamstring injuries were found to be reported more frequently as compared to ankle injuries especially in runners, jumpers and combined-events athletes.
The most important finding of the study was that athletes with a previous ankle injury were more likely to develop a first-time injury in their hamstrings, as compared to the opposite situation.
Athletes with ankle injuries were also determined to be at a greater risk of developing ankle injuries in the future.
The results of this study should influence the efforts of rehabilitation programmes towards strengthening the entire lower body especially after injuries affecting the ankles.
To read the full study, please click here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5828071/
MASS4D® Insoles can contribute to rehabilitative efforts by enhancing the strength of the ankle muscles and preventing ankle sprains. These insoles have the capability to promote healthy movement of the foot-ankle structure which can minimise an athlete’s chances of developing injuries.
Athletes will experience an improvement in the overall alignment of their posture as well. This can help boost performance by helping them improve their form before a big event.
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