Ankle sprains are common among basketball players of every level. In many cases, the sprain will occur when a player steps on another player’s foot. This could occur while jumping for a rebound or making a quick step to get around a player in the open court. We have outlined some simple exercises that can be done at home with no extensive or technical equipment. Our “model” is Troy Murphy, one of the Warriors’ rookies. Troy recently sustained a mild sprain while chasing down a loose ball.
These exercises are to be done after you are sure there is no fracture or instability in the ankle. Any long term bone pain or swelling in the ankle should be examined by a physician prior to doing these exercises.
Tom Abdenour in his 16th season as the athletic trainer for the Warriors. He spent his 2000 offseason serving as the athletic trainer for the gold medal-winning USA Men's Basketball Team at the Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia. He also stays involved with the community as a member of the NBA's National All-Star Reading Team -- part of the Read to Achieve program.
Abdenour is hosting warriors.com's Athletic Trainer Talk section and will be answering fan questions about health, injuries and rehabilitation through the 2002-03 season.