Ankle sprains are one of the most common injuries among active people, and they can be frustrating to deal with. They can limit your mobility, cause pain and swelling, and increase your risk of re-injury. But don't worry, there is a way to speed up your recovery and prevent future sprains: plyometric training.
Plyometric training is a form of functional training that involves explosive movements that stretch and contract your muscles rapidly. Think of jumping, hopping, skipping, or bounding. These exercises challenge your neuromuscular system, improve your power and agility, and strengthen your connective tissues. Plyometric training can also enhance your proprioception, which is your ability to sense and control your body position and movement.
El #entrenamiento #pliométrico en los pacientes neurológicos: Si bien es cierto que el entrenamiento pliométrico se asocia claramente al entrenamiento deportivo, especialmente a alto nivel, podemos aplicarlo a cualquier persona, ya que se puede definir como la capacidad del cuerpo de "almacenar" energía mecánica para, después, liberarla de forma explosiva, combinándolas en un movimiento conjunto de velocidad y fuerza = potencia. La pliometría es una capacidad/habilidad muy utilizada en el día a día, desde mover un objeto pesado, hasta bajar de un peque?o salto el bordillo. Aunque en el entrenamiento de alto rendimiento se aplique a saltos, choques o golpes y actividades muy explosivas como el sprint
When you sprain your ankle, you damage the ligaments that stabilize your joint. This can impair your proprioception and make your ankle more unstable and prone to re-injury. Plyometric training can help you restore your proprioception and improve your ankle stability by stimulating the nerve endings in your muscles, tendons, and ligaments. By performing plyometric exercises, you can train your ankle to react quickly and adapt to different surfaces and directions. This can reduce your pain, swelling, and stiffness, and increase your range of motion and function.
Uno de los usos habituales es en las fases finales de la rehabilitación de los esguinces de tobillo, donde esta explosividad (y su "aterrizaje") supone un gran estrés y un desafío para las estructuras lesionadas que, si se realiza dentro de unos márgenes de seguridad, y progresando en cuanto a los factores de riesgo y estrés sobre dichas estructuras, puede suponer un importante estímulo para estos pacientes. Pero, ?qué sucede con los pacientes que presentan otros procesos, por ejemplo personas con patología neurológica? En estos casos la pliometría nos sirve para trabajar otras caracterísiticas más peculiares. Un marcado acúmulo de fuerza, velocidad, coordinación, precisión y control son necesarios para realizar, por ejemplo, un salto
Before you jump into plyometric training, you need to make sure that your ankle is ready. You should consult your doctor or physical therapist for a proper diagnosis and treatment plan. You should also follow the RICE protocol (rest, ice, compression, elevation) and do some gentle exercises to reduce inflammation and promote healing. You should avoid any activities that cause pain or discomfort in your ankle.
Once your ankle is healed enough, you can start with some low-intensity plyometric exercises that are appropriate for your level of fitness and injury. You should always warm up properly and wear supportive shoes. You should also pay attention to your form and technique, and avoid landing on your toes or rolling your ankle. You should start with low repetitions and gradually increase the intensity, frequency, and duration of your plyometric sessions. You should also vary the exercises, surfaces, and directions to challenge your ankle in different ways.
Para comenzar a realizar un tratamiento mediante pliometría es necesario conocer la integridad de todas las estructuras, se debe entender como parte de las fases finales de cualquier recuperación. Es importante tener un control elevado sobre la posición del pie y tobillo, así como del resto de estructuras, para evitar recaídas o el riesgo de nuevas lesiones. Debemos comenzar trabajando cada una de las fases del ejercicio de forma aislada, para después combinarlas a baja velocidad y sin impacto y por último incluir la alta velocidad y el impacto. Por ejemplo en el caso del salto deberemos iniciar con la sentadilla, después la puesta en puntillas, y luego la recepción del suelo. Después podremos ir uniendo velocidad e impacto.
Plyometric exercises are an effective way to rehabilitate ankle sprains, and some examples include ankle hops, lateral hops, forward-backward hops, box jumps, and single-leg box jumps. To perform ankle hops, stand on one leg and hop up and down on the same spot. Make sure to keep your knee slightly bent and land softly on your forefoot. For lateral hops, stand on one leg and hop sideways over a line or cone before landing on the same leg and hopping back to the starting position. Similarly, you can perform forward-backward hops by hopping forward over a line or cone before hopping back to the starting position. Box jumps involve standing in front of a box or step that is about knee-high and jumping onto it with both feet before stepping down and repeating. Single-leg box jumps are similar but involve standing on one leg in front of a box or step that is about ankle-high before jumping onto it with the same leg. As you progress, you can increase the height of the box for both exercises.
Extensive plyometrics are a good first option for rehabbing ankle sprains. Generally characterized by quick, continuous, short duration ground contacts, extensive plyos provide a low level of stimulus while helping the injured trainee gain confidence and control.
Plyometric training can be a great way to rehabilitate your ankle sprains and improve your functional performance, however, it is essential to monitor your ankle response and progress carefully. Listen to your body - if you feel any pain, swelling, or instability in your ankle, stop the exercise and rest. Start low and slow with low-intensity, low-impact, and low-volume plyometric exercises that are suitable for your injury and fitness level. Do not exceed 10-15 minutes of plyometric training per session, and do not do it more than twice a week. As your ankle heals and strengthens, you can gradually increase the intensity, impact, and volume of your plyometric training. Remember to warm up before with dynamic stretches and low-intensity cardio exercises, as well as cool down after with static stretches and low-intensity cardio exercises. Consult your doctor or physical therapist for more advice and guidance.
Algunos pacientes, sobretodo de corte neurológico pueden verse muy beneficiados por este tipo de ejercicios. Al requerir de gran cantidad de aspectos de corte neuro-muscular como la velocidad, coordinación, control motor, precisión, etc. suponen un gran desafío y una fuente muy rica de variedad en cuanto a los requerimientos adaptativos del sistema nervioso.