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Sarah's Success Story: Returning to Sports after A Torn Ankle Tendon

Suffering from an injury can be more than just physically debilitating; it impacts your quality of life, your mood, and your ability to partake in activities you love. For Sarah, an avid sportsperson, a right ankle and leg injury was not just an obstacle but a disruption to the essence of her life.

After surgery, it’s not uncommon for patients to be prescribed a period of non-weight-bearing to protect the surgical site and encourage initial healing. This necessary restriction, however, often results in significant muscle loss due to reduced activity levels, leading to lingering pain and diminished mobility.

For patients, particularly those who were more active before their injury, the standard post-operative exercises aimed at promoting recovery can sometimes fall short of their needs.

Active individuals typically face a unique set of challenges in the recovery process. Their bodies, accustomed to higher levels of physical activity and muscular demand, require more intensive rehabilitation efforts to restore their pre-injury fitness levels.

The traditional, one-size-fits-all rehabilitation programs, focusing primarily on basic mobility and safety, may not provide the treatment necessary to fully regain their prior physical capabilities.

Reaching out to Sharp Physiotherapy

Recognising the limitations of her initial recovery protocol and understanding the necessity for a more specialised approach, Sarah decided to seek help from Sharp Physiotherapy.

For active individuals like Sarah, who are eager to return to their pre-injury levels of activity, the expertise of a physiotherapist experienced in sports injuries is invaluable.

These specialists bring a deep understanding of how sports mechanics and intense physical activities impact the recovery process, which is essential for developing an effective and safe rehabilitation strategy.

Together, Sarah and her physiotherapist embarked on designing a recovery program that was not only aimed at alleviating her symptoms but also at preventing future injuries. This included hands on treatment techniques in to the foot and ankle sport-specific exercises that prepared her to return to her chosen sporting activity.

What does it take to recover from an ankle tendon injury?

Recovering from an ankle tendon injury involves a meticulous process that must balance the need for rest to allow healing with the necessity of gradual movement to prevent stiffness and weakness.

Such injuries, whether they involve the Achilles tendon or other lesser-known tendons such as the perineal tendons, require an individualised approach tailored to the severity of the injury and the patient’s overall health and activity levels.

Initially, the focus of treatment is often on reducing swelling and pain, crucial steps to facilitate healing. This phase typically involves the RICE protocol—rest, ice, compression, and elevation—which helps manage inflammation and discomfort in the days immediately following the injury.

As the acute symptoms begin to subside, the rehabilitation process transitions to include more active treatments. Physiotherapy plays a pivotal role at this stage, applying hands on treatments and introducing exercises that gently stretch and strengthen the injured tendon and surrounding muscles. These exercises are designed to restore flexibility and increase strength gradually, ensuring that the tendon’s capacity to bear weight and endure the stresses of daily activities is adequately rebuilt.

Advanced stages of recovery may incorporate more dynamic and sport-specific exercises intended to prepare the individual for a return to full activity. It’s essential to progress through these stages under the guidance of a physio to avoid setbacks, such as re-injury or the development of chronic issues like a tendinopathy.

Ultimately, successful recovery from an ankle tendon injury not only restores function but also equips individuals with the knowledge and practices needed to prevent future injuries.

A full life regained

Sarah’s remarkable recovery, facilitated by her sessions at Sharp Physiotherapy, stands as a testament to the transformative power of expert rehabilitative care. After overcoming chronic pain and debilitating physical limitations, she was able to return to karate, running, and cycling—activities that embody her vibrant spirit and passion for life.

Her story is not just inspiring; it serves as a beacon of hope for those currently entangled in the struggles of injury recovery, underscoring that the right physiotherapeutic approach can indeed restore vitality to a life once overshadowed by pain.

Today, Sarah’s life is a vibrant and active. She not only participates in all the activities she loves but does so completely free from pain. This outcome underscores the profound impact that skilled physiotherapy can have—demonstrating that true recovery transcends the mere alleviation of symptoms.

It is about reclaiming the freedom to engage fully in life, unencumbered by physical limitations. Sarah’s journey from pain to liberation celebrates the profound personal and physical renaissance that dedicated, tailored physiotherapy care can achieve.

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Emma
Emma
Am 47 years old and had a car accident 13 years ago leaving me with a plate in my wrist , nerve damage and Thoracic outlet syndrome. I had spent thousands on physio with little to no joy of managing my pain and discomfort. I could not sleep through the night , I would grind my teeth, I couldn’t get back in to a pool to swim , no one was able to touch my wrist. I didn’t let people close because I did not want people to know how much I struggled. I just couldn’t imagine growing older and coping with it all. Lucy has changed all this , she is amazing , I went swimming in the sea within 3 months of seeing her . I can let someone hold my hand , I sleep, never felt poorly after my appointments. Lucy as gave me my life back , hope , took away fear and anxiety and that ground hog day feeling. Listen to Lucy and you should go Far. Great team , great company have a lot to offer.
Emily Flemming
Emily Flemming
After several knee dislocations, I was considering surgery on my knee. However after a block of sessions with Joe, I am now the strongest I have been and no longer need surgery. I started only being able to walk for 15 mins pain free and now can run and walk pain free. The whole team are lovely and welcoming and it’s been a fantastic experience - would hugely recommend!
Tom Stretton
Tom Stretton
Could not speak highly enough of the team for how much they helped me. I reached out to them around a month post elbow surgery with very limited movement capability in my elbow. My injury was given a full review, after which the team put together a full exercise program for me to follow which allowed me to continue to make progress in between appointments. Even the specialist surgeons at the hospital commented on how quickly I was progressing in terms of regaining movement, all thanks to the team at Sharp. I even received scar tissue treatment as part of the sessions to help reduce sensitivity, which was above and beyond what other physio’s would generally do. Would definitely recommend!
Beth Garlick
Beth Garlick
Can't recommend Sharp Physiotherapy enough. After seeing Sam for a few sessions for a problem with my knee I was still able to do the half-marathon I had planned, and learnt so much about the issues I was having and how to prevent them going forward. They really listen to you and make it a comfortable experience.
Katy Moss
Katy Moss
Have had a great experienec with both Joe and Matthew, they both helped me massively with my back pain where with the odd bit of maintenance I am pain free. Thanks guys!
Sam Kent
Sam Kent
Joe and lucy at sharps physio and all the team Know there jobs inside out and not just the best physio about there Genuine lovely people couldn’t recommend enough
Emily Cahill
Emily Cahill
I highly recommend the team at Sharp Physiotherapy! Matt at Bawtry was excellent in all aspects of treatment, and is a great person. Thank you again!
Ella Walker
Ella Walker
Could not recommend Sharp Physiotherapy enough! After my hip arthroscopy my hip didn’t feel right and Joe and Lucy agreed. The team helped me find another surgeon for a second opinion and the surgeon agreed my hip was not right. I underwent another arthroscopy to sort out the issues from the first surgery and Lucy worked alongside the surgeon and treated me weekly to help with my hip. I then underwent a major hip surgery and then got an infection and Lucy was there to help with my rehab and treatment. I could not recommend Lucy enough she has helped me through so much, treating me, being extremely patient, understanding but also very knowledgeable. Lucy has been there for me and my family every step of the way! Lucy has worked alongside my surgeon to create a successful rehab plan. The team have managed to fit me in for appointments when I’ve been struggling with pain. I would not go anywhere else for Physiotherapy and can not recommend Lucy and Sharp physio enough!
Jayne Beilby
Jayne Beilby
Sharp Physio are the absolute best! I've tried several before but never stuck with it as they never solved the problem. Lucy, Joe and the whole team want to get to the root of the problem, sort that out, then work on building you up from there. I've referred several people now and they have all had great experiences for different ailments/injuries. I honestly wouldn't look anywhere else! Your'e getting local physio's who have worked at Olympic & pro sport levels. The premises are lovely too so you feel welcome and looked after but not in a hospital type environment.😊
Sarah Timmins
Sarah Timmins
I had tried many different practitioners over the years to help treat my headaches and neck pain with no one seeming able to help. Having seen a physiotherapist for 6 months with no results and then finally going to my gp who seemed clueless, I decided to give Sharp Physiotherapy a go. I was skeptical and unsure that they could help after many years of unsuccessful treatments. I had a telephone consultation and session with Sam T who put me at ease telling me that he was confident he could help. After my first session my headaches were instantly better, I was not expecting that at all. For years I have been in pain which has taken over my life and now I feel like my old self again and more importantly pain free! Sam seems to know where to target the pain and release the tension in my head and neck. I would not hesitate to recommend Sharp Physiotherapy to anyone, they are a fab team and very helpful.