"Subject 3" is a hot topic on social media, and many people have sprained their ankles! These three types of people should pay attention →

When mentioning Subject Three, the first thing people think of is the Subject Three test for driver's license, but this "Subject Three" is not that "Subject Three".

"Subject Three" is a kind of magical dance that has become popular on a short video platform. With its waving hands, twisting waist, swinging hips, and a half-twisted foot, coupled with "brainwashing" music, this dance has attracted many young people to imitate it.

Moreover, "Subject Three" is not limited to individual dances. Some restaurants have also started to perform "Subject Three" collectively. Diners can watch free dance performances while eating hot pot... But as everyone followed suit, some imitators began to suffer varying degrees of physical injuries -

A netizen shared his feet after jumping "Subject 3" on the Internet. Source: a social platform

Image source: Internet

So, is it really dangerous to take the "Subject 3" test? And how can we avoid spraining our ankles in the "Subject 3" test?

Is it really risky to skip “Subject Three”?

First of all, let’s talk about what “Subject Three” looks like in the eyes of professionals?

The most uncomfortable thing for professionals watching this dance is that when the dancers twist their waists, their knees and ankles turn inward to varying degrees. Inversion means that the distal end of a joint moves inward, and the most typical inversion of the ankle joint is a sprain.

I estimate that most people have experienced sprained ankles. Due to the structure of the human ankle joint, the outer fibula is relatively longer, providing a bony barrier to the talus. In addition, the triangular ligament on the inner side of the ankle joint is very tough, so most people sprain their ankles due to inversion.

Inversion. Image source: pxhere

There are three main ligaments on the outside of the ankle joint, namely the anterior talofibular ligament, the calcaneofibular ligament, and the posterior talofibular ligament. Among them, the anterior talofibular ligament and the calcaneofibular ligament are the most likely to tear during an inversion sprain. When these ligaments are torn, the ankle joint will experience severe swelling and pain, and will not be able to continue exercising. There may also be a decrease in ankle stability. If not properly treated, it is very easy to develop chronic ankle instability and cartilage damage in the later stages. This is why some people sprain their ankles more frequently after their first sprain.

The human knee joint is the joint we pay the most attention to because it is used frequently and has a high probability of injury. The knee joint is mainly composed of the femur, tibia, fibula, and patella. The largest joint is the tibiofemoral joint, followed by the patellar joint and the superior tibiofibular joint. The ligaments connect these bones and provide the most important stabilizing force. The core position between the tibia and femur has the anterior cruciate ligament and the posterior cruciate ligament, which respectively prevent the tibia from excessively moving forward and backward relative to the femur. Inside and outside, there are also medial collateral ligaments and lateral collateral ligaments to prevent the tibia from turning inside out, respectively.

Image source: Study on biomechanical model of knee joint load-bearing, Tang Xiaoying, Sichuan Journal of Physiological Sciences, 2017

During human movement, these main ligaments provide stability for the knee joint. When the joint exceeds the normal physiological range of motion or is subjected to external violent impact, the ligament may tear. After the knee ligament is torn, some can be treated conservatively, while after the anterior cruciate ligament is torn, if you still want to return to intense sports activities, you need to consider anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction surgery.

In the "Subject 3" movement, the ankle joint needs to be in an extremely inverted position, and the knee joint also needs to be in an inverted position. During this movement, the lateral ligament of the ankle joint and the lateral collateral ligament of the knee joint will be stretched to varying degrees. Fortunately, if your dance moves are relatively standard, the inverted limb is not weight-bearing at this time, so the risk of lateral ligament injury is within a controllable range.

Although "Subject 3" is fun, these people should be cautious

However, if you belong to the following 3 categories of people, you must be cautious when skipping "Subject Three"!

① People with uncoordinated limbs. Watching the rhythmic dance in the video, many people are eager to try it, but in fact, many people have "learned" it in their brains but "haven't learned" it in their bodies. If the limbs are uncoordinated, the risk of such injuries will increase exponentially. For example, if the lower limbs are turned inward, the center of gravity will be all pressed up, and the result is self-evident.

② People with heavier weight. The heavier you are, the greater the pressure on your joints, and naturally the risk of "Subject 3" will increase accordingly.

③ People who drink alcohol. Many people drink alcohol to liven up their mood. They are embarrassed to drink alcohol, thinking that they can let go of their hands and feet. But don’t forget that the “communication” between the brain and the legs and feet is also poor at this time, so once danger occurs, the risk of injury will increase accordingly.

Finally, let me teach you a training movement that we often use to help strengthen the stability of the ankle joint and prevent ankle sprains.

①Choose a suitable elastic band or elastic ring.

② To train the right ankle, fix the left side to the left ankle and put the right side on the front of the right foot.

③The starting position is to slightly invert the right ankle, then slowly exert force outward to the maximum range, and then slowly fall down.

④ Generally, 12 to 15 times constitute one set. Depending on your personal situation, you can train 5 to 10 sets.

Image source: Author

This is the most basic but effective way for us to train the peroneus longus and peroneus brevis on the outside of the ankle joint. Through training, I believe that your ankle joints can be effectively protected whether you are dancing in "Subject 3" or on the court!

Author: Huang Tao, Sports Medicine Rehabilitation Expert at Chongli Branch of Peking University Third Hospital

Reviewer: Tang Qin, Director and Researcher of the Science Popularization Department of the Chinese Medical Association