File this one under: “Wait, what did they do—and it worked?” A new randomized controlled trial out of China has put a centuries-old bone-setting technique back in the orthopedic spotlight—and the results are worth a closer look.
Published July 8, 2025, in BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, the study titled “”Heel kicking exercise rapidly improves pain and function in patients with acute lateral ankle sprain: a randomized controlled trial” takes a deep dive into a seemingly unconventional therapy: the Heel Kicking Exercise (HKE). And no, it’s not a TikTok trend—it’s a structured movement rooted in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) that appears to accelerate early-stage recovery from ankle sprains.
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