Anyone know how to strengthen weak joints? (and don't suggest better weed)

[SmiZ]

I have severly sprained my ankle playing basketball about three times. The first time I was a freshman in high school, and most recently was this summer (I'm a junior in college now). I normally wear ankle support, but even that doesn't help much in a case like this.

Every time it happens, I'm jumping in the air and come down with the point of my foot on the top of someone else's foot. My ankle turns and usually the side of it touches the ground causing a very painful sprain and instant swelling. (Nothing like Sid Vicious luckily)

Since these incidents, my ankle seems to be much weaker and I get minor sprains from seemingly small twists and turns. I caught my foot on my chair this morning and turned it and it is swollen and painful now.

Does anyone else have experience with weakened joints and what did you do to strengthen them?

 

[Viper GTS]

Swimming is probably your best bet. It helped my knees a LOT when I was swimming on a regular basis. Also, my doctor recommended I take a cartilage supplement (glucosamine/chondroitin), which made a big difference in ankle pain. A decent sized bottle of Glucosamine/Chondroitin supplements cost me around $8 at a local store. I took it for three weeks, & the joint pain went away & hasn't returned.

Viper GTS

 

[Entity]

I think it's called Glucosamine...works for many people. I'll try to get more info for you, if I can.

Edit: Many glucosamine supplements contain chrondroitin, as Viper recommended.

Rob

 

[Tauren]

Strngthen the supporting muscles. It takes some of the strain off the joint.

 

[shiner]

Glucosamine

I may not have spelled that correcty but it's close enough. The stuff realyl works. My Dad, age 63, has had horrible problems with his knees for years so I bought him some of the stuff. After taking it as directed for 3 weeks he started to notice a difference. Now they rarely bother him and he swears by the stuff.

Just so you'll know, he's always been a skeptic of my dietary supplements, herbs, and minerals that I take. He doesntr doubt me anymore.

 

[Sephy]

Resisting...urge...to say...better...weed..

 

[fdiskboy]

Both Glucosamine and MSM (a natural sulpher supplement) can help you.

 

[radiocore]

lol @ title

 

[nightowl]

Yeah, the best way to prevent the reoccurance of your ankle sprains is to strengthen the surrounding muscles. I know what you are going through, it is really painful. Last year I did the same thing while playing basketball. My whole foot turned purple. I ended up partially tearing some ligaments in my foot around my ankle. My doctor said to do exercises that extended my foot to strengthen the muscles.