I had a bad ankle sprain last year. Since then, I keep twisting my ankle for no apparent reason. Why is this, and what can I do to prevent it from happening?

People who sprain their ankles sometimes find the ankle continues to give out without warning. Many times, the ankle gives out and actually sprains again, a condition called recurrent ankle sprain. The tiny sensors within the joints, muscles, and ligaments of the ankle are often injured in the initial injury. These sensors normally give the body a sense of joint position. Damage to these sensors puts the ankle at risk for additional sprains.

An effective treatment for ankle sprains is disk training. A circular platform with a small sphere under it, the disk looks a bit like a spaceship. Patients place their feet on it and work the ankle by tilting the disk in various positions.

Doctors and therapists have used this type of training with success. Patients doing this kind of exercise often show improved balance and decreased ankle pain. The disk improves mobility in the ankle joint and responsiveness in the muscles that support the ankle. Disk training appears to be an excellent way to protect against future ankle sprains.