Kelly Clarkson gets a Sprained Ankle

You would have to look close, but it's a fact that Kelly Clarkson sprained her ankle only moments before taking the stage for the taping of the VAS Celebrates Soul last night on VH1.  We have to give her props for putting on high heels and going on stage and performing.  It must have been very painful!

Here is Kelly in her own words:

Funny part of the evening is I twisted my ankle in a pair of heels right before the show started in a freakin' pot hole on the street!. Hurt like hell but still one of my favorite shows I’ve ever been a part of!”

Kelly, we hope you won't just follow R.I.C.E. (rest, ice, compression, elevation) and will give H.E.M. a try, so you can heal up the right way.  We know you don't want to have ankle pain the next time you perform!  We wish you the best!

Osi Umenyiora's ankle could sideline him a month

It's football season and that means a lot of sprained ankles.  Not because they are necessary, but because pro athletes rarely have strong, flexible ankles.  They have incurred so many ankle injuries over their careers that when they get to the pro level, it is just a regular occurrence.

But, what most people do not understand is that the ankle weakness actually inhibits their performance tremendously.  Not to mention the downtime and loss revenue from being injured.  Remember, strong ankles mean a stronger, healthier athlete and one at a lower risk of injury.

New York Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora suffered a sprained ankle in the second quarter of Monday night's 49-24 loss at New Orleans and did not return.


Giants coach Tom Coughlin said he did not know the extent of Umenyiora's ankle injury immediately after the game.


Team officials declined to specify which ankle. Giants officials initially said Umemyiora was probable to return, but early in the second half he was listed as out for the remainder of the game.


Linebacker Mark Herzlich also suffered a sprained ankle, but said X-rays taken came back negative. However, he did not return to the game because there was pain in the ankle and it was sore.

Slow-healing ankles, feet playing havoc at fantasy crunch time

A lot of people think that pro athletes have the best care and the best trainers. In some cases yes, but it's not always what you might think. In most cases, athletes are pressured into playing injured and their injuries just keep getting worse. In other cases, athletes are not given the right tools to heal completely before getting back out on the field.

The bottom line is that people (even pro athletes and trainers) still hold onto the old model of healing an ankle sprain. And that means rest, ice and wait. And that means very badly healing ankles that take a long time. It really does take active rehab to heal an ankle AND reduce the risk of injury. An ankle sprain is not a necessary injury, but it is the #1 sports related injury, because athletes do not take the time or care to heal properly. But, doing so can be a real life saver to a career and the team itself. And don't forget, strong, mobile ankles translates into faster, more agile athletes.

But, unfortunately, many people, even pros are still doing the wrong things regarding their ankles and they are paying the price. Just take a look below at what Bill Carroll, a Sports Illustrated commentator, says about ankle sprains...

We've gotten to the point where high ankle sprains are just "HAS" in the discussion. It's common enough now to have its own acronym, but there's still not a lot of understanding. While no high ankle sprain is good, like any sprain, there are degrees of sprain. A sprain is a tearing of a ligament, in this case the one between the tibia and fibula, and yes, mild tearing means a mild, low-grade sprain. Peterson's low-grade sprain leaves the medical staff some hope he can be back this week, even in a limited role. That said, he'll need to do more than just run. That's the easy part, so don't be fooled by "Peterson's running at practice!" reports. His ability (or inability) to accelerate and cut will be the tough part. The Vikings will give Peterson every chance to play, but Toby Gerhart is more likely to be back at RB1 this week.