canfitpro has approved this course for the following certification designations: Fitness Instructor Specialist, and Personal Trainer Specialist.

Ankle sprains are the most common injuries sustained during sport participation. Athletic trainers, physical therapists, coaches, and others who work with athletes need to be well versed in assessment, treatment, rehabilitation, and prevention methods. The Ankle Sprains online course and accompanying e-book explain who is most susceptible to this common injury, why the injury occurs, and how to best treat the injury so that athletes can return to play quickly and safely with reduced chance of reinjury.

This course was developed by Jay Hertel, a renowned expert in ankle sprains, along with Sheri Hale and Lauren Kramer. They offer a review of the research on the epidemiology and etiology of ankle sprains in physically active populations. Once educated on the mechanisms of acute ankle sprains and chronic ankle instability, course users will progress to assessment protocols, where they will learn to recognize typical signs and symptoms of acute ankle sprains and employ evidence-based procedures for assessing range of motion, strength, ligament integrity, and balance.

After the injury has been properly assessed, the course advances to the treatment and rehabilitation stage. Course users will learn to identify and incorporate appropriate rehabilitation exercises in the correct sequence to develop individualized functional progression programs. Finally, the course reviews prevention strategies using evidence-based principles and compares the efficacy of taping and bracing for prevention of first-time ankle sprains and reinjuries.

Throughout this course, interactive exercises—including case studies—provide real-life practice in selecting appropriate techniques for examining virtual athletes. The case studies build from assessing results to selecting and progressing appropriate treatment strategies so that course users can develop the most effective evidence-based treatment regimens to safely return injured athletes to their sports.

Course Outline
Unit 1. Understanding the Injury
Unit 2. Assessment Techniques
Unit 3. Treatment and Rehabilitation
Unit 4. Prevention

Student Text Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1. Epidemiology and Etiology of Ankle Sprains and Instability
Etiology of Ankle Sprains in Sports
Etiology of LAS
Summary

Chapter 2. Assessment of Ankle Sprains and Instability
Patient History and Mechanism
Observation and Palpation
Range of Motion
Strength Tests
Stress Testing of Ankle Ligaments and Other Special Tests
Imaging Tests
Functional Testing
Summary

Chapter 3. Treatment and Rehabilitation of Ankle Sprains and Instability
General Rehabilitation Guidelines
Managing Acute LAS
Managing CAI
Summary

Chapter 4. Preventing Ankle Sprains in Athletes
Preventing a First-Time Injury
Taping and Bracing
Balance Training
Summary

Appendix A. Special Orthopedic Tests
Appendix B. Rehabilitation Exercises for Acute Ankle Sprains