Quick: What's the most common sports injury? Correct, it's a sprained ankle. Next: What's the best way to avoid a sprained ankle? Lift up your feet when you walk or run. Eureka Science News reports that researchers at the University of Georgia collected data on more than 30 male recreational athletes, some with a history of repetitive ankle sprains and some without. The researchers then used motion capture equipment to study joint movements in the participants during walking and running. Here's what they found: those athletes with a history of repetitive ankle sprains had lower clearance heights between their feet and the floor during running and pointed their toes down more during walking. Read more from Eureka Science News.
Read an abstract of the study in the American Journal of Sports Medicine.
Wow, that’s pretty insane. So basically, from the repetitive nature of their feet hitting the ground, because they weren’t lifted high enough, that’s why they are more susceptible to a sprained ankle?
Basically yes. They tripped on their toes that were too close to the ground. Sending them sprawling. 🙂 To put it nice and simply.