Win over your ankle sprain in days – Effective Treatment and Remedies
An ankle sprain is very painful and often people use experimental methods for quick recovery. Effective treatment and remedies for ankle sprain is essential for longterm cure and help regain gait within days.
Ankle Sprain - Something you need to know An ankle sprain is a result of an injury in the ligament caused due to a sudden pull. Ligaments ar e strong tissues which help attach bones together and support foot joints. Damage to the ligament causes bleed ing, swelling and inflammation around the joints. A sprained ankle caused due to a damaged ligament is painful and makes movement extremely difficult for the injured person. An ankle sprain mainly occurs due to sports injuries. Other common reasons also include:
Fast cutting movements
Running on uneven surfaces
History of previous sprains The severity of the ankle sprain depends upon the intensity of damage caused in the ligament a nd is graded on the scale of 1 to 3. A mild sprain causes a swollen and stiff ankle where as a severe sprain ca uses bleeding and bruising and makes walking extremely difficult. Healing Ankle Sprain; The Right Way The aim of treating an ankle sprain is not only to quickly relieve pain and walk again within days . The damaged ligament and torn tissues need some time to recover with effective remedies. One of the main reasons of problems like ankle instability is because of inappropriate treatment of ankle sprains. If the injured person uses appropriate treatment and remedies, ankle sprains are curable in a sh ort span of time
and are less likely to recur again.
1) The RICE remedy This is a common four step treatment to ease pain during ankle sprain within 4872 hours of the injury. Rest your ankle
Skip activities which increases pain or causes you to limp.
Walk with crutches or crane for chronic pain.
Practice mild activities and exercises to avoid stiffness. Ice your ankle Apply ice for 15-20 minutes before going to the foot specialist.
Gently place a plastic bag on your ankle or soak your feet in ice water for 3-5 times a day.
Practice this for at least 3 days to reduce inflammation, swelling and pain.
Diabetic patients need to consult a doctor before applying ice. Compress ankle joint
Carefully wrap an elastic bandage around the ankle; from toes to mid-calf.
Avoid wrapping bandage too tightly as it causes numbness. Elevate ankle
Rest your feet on a high level like a chair or a pillow while lying on the bed.
Ankle elevation helps to drain the fluid caused due to the injury and reduce swelling. 2) For recovery Once the swelling and inflammation reduces, the injured should not begin to walk immediately. Few exercises in gradual steps are essential for complete recovery. Light Exercises Allow light feet movement by performing simple exercise. Move the ankle in rounds and other directions without applying much pressure. Place feet on the chair or move it side ways for few minutes. Stretch Ligament
Ankle sprain causes the ligaments to become tight. To avoid other potential injuries such as chr onic ankle instability, it is essential to practice motion and flexibility exercises for the calf. Sit on the floor, wrap towel around the feet ball and stretch feet for 15-30 seconds. Repeat this 2-4 times. Strengthen ankle Once the injured is able to stand on feet, ankle recovery can be achieved by simple strengtheni ng exercises. Place feet on the floor and wrap them with a stretch band. Slowly separate the injured feet by s tretching the elastic with leg movement for few seconds. This exercise can also be performed while sitting. Improve Balance It is very essential to work on the body balance to avoid injuries in the future such as ankle insta bility. Body balance is achieved by standing on a cushion or a wobbly surface. While placing the injure d feet on the surface raise the other feet and place hands sideways. Perform this exercise by standing in front of the wall or taking support of a person. 3) See a Foot Doctor Sometimes the ankle sprain is severe and needs special medical attention. A foot specialist shou ld be seen under the following conditions.
A ruptured ligament or a broken bone.
Deformation of joints or legs.
Sever bruising, tenderness or pain.
Continuous visibility of symptoms, after weeks of injury. A foot doctor will examine the foot condition and prescribe xray, medication or surgery depending on
the severity of the ankle sprain. It is preferable to locate a foot specialist near your place of resi dency to avoid long distance traveling and pressurize your feet during severe pain. For instance, if you ar e located in California you can search for popular podiatrist in San Jose or a doctor near to your home.
It is possible to prevent ankle sprain by wearing appropriate foot wear and performing muscle a nd ankle exercises. Ankle sprain is very tricky and if cured effectively one can enjoy feet flexibility in few days with minimal chances of such an injury to recur in the future.