ESPH Blog

April 1st: Arsenal fought back to secure a thrilling 2-2 draw with Barcelona in the first leg of their Champions League quarter final last night but it came at a hefty price. Former captain William Gallas and Russian dynamo Andrei Arshavin were both forced off with calf injuries. Gallas only returned from injury last night and is now likely to be out out for the rest of the season. But most seriously, Arsenal's captain and linchpin Cesc Fabregas picked up a leg injury, saying after the match: " It is the fibula. I think I put my leg between Puyol's when I was fouled, and kicked it. We have to wait for tomorrow, but I hope I can wear the Arsenal shirt again this season." Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is waiting on the results of an X-ray to discover the extent of the injury but Fabregas is unlikely to figure in Saturday's home match with Wolves regardless of the results. He will miss the second leg of the quarter final n Spain in any event after picking up his third yellow card in Europe this season. Better news for Arsenal is the progress of their Dutch attacker Robin Van Persie who is expected to return to full training in two weeks after suffering ankle ligament damage in November. Wenger revealed he hopes to "give him some big games to aim for at the end of the season."

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March 31st:  The football injury that all English football fans dread has happened. Wayne Rooney limped off the field in the final moments of Manchester United's 2-1 loss to Bayern Munich last night having twisted his ankle. He left the stadium on crutches with his ankle in a protective aircast boot although United's manager Sir Alex Ferguson described the injury as "not terribly serious". Rooney will be scanned to ascertain the extent of the damage. He has been in scintilating form in recent weeks and scored the opening goal last night after 66 second but United were undone by a last minute winner scored by Bayern in a reverse of the 1999 Champions League final that United won in injury time. United fans around the world will be crossing their fingers that Rooney can shake of the injury quickly.

esph's "In Agony Aunt" says: "You can sprain your ankle if the foot is planted unevenly on a surface, beyond the normal force of stepping. This causes the ligaments to stretch beyond their normal range in an abnormal position. 

If there is a severe in-turning or out-turning of the foot relative to the ankle, the forces cause the ligaments to stretch beyond their normal length. If the force is too strong, the ligaments can tear. You may lose your balance when your foot is placed unevenly on the ground. You may fall and be unable to stand on that foot. When excessive force is applied to the ankle's soft tissue structures, you may even hear a "pop". Pain and swelling result.

The amount of force determines the grade of the sprain. A mild sprain is a Grade 1. A moderate sprain is a Grade 2. A severe sprain is a Grade 3.

Immediate treatment should follow the PRICE protocol:

And to get yourself back in action fast, come and see us for treatment ASAP.

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