Diagnosis Of A Sprained Ankle
A doctor or physiotherapist will usually be able to diagnose a sprained ankle by asking about your symptoms and examining you. Theyll ask exactly how you hurt your ankle and if you could stand and walk afterwards. When they examine you, theyll check for pain, swelling and bruising around your ankle. They may also check how much you can move your ankle and if you can put any weight on your foot.
If your injury is particularly bad, your doctor or physiotherapist may recommend you have an X-ray to check whether or not your ankle is broken. Sometimes, they may also arrange ultrasound or MRI scans if they need a more detailed look at your ankle.
Recovering From A Sprained Ankle
How long it takes for you to recover will depend on how bad your sprain is. Mild-to-moderate sprains should heal enough to walk on within a few weeks. But it may take up to two or three months to get back to normal, including playing sports. If you have a very bad ankle sprain, it may take several months to recover, especially if you need surgery. Theres a risk of injuring your ankle again, especially in the first four to six weeks.
Although the pain in your ankle may have eased, you should wait until you have full range of motion and have rebuilt the strength in your ankle. If you start too soon, you may hurt your ankle again, which may lead to long-term problems. Ask your doctor or physiotherapist when you can safely take up your normal activities again, including sports.
Sprained Ankle Treatment How To Treat A Sprained Ankle At Home
After sustaining an ankle sprain, there are many at-home remedies individuals can utilize to treat pain, swelling, and general discomfort. However, a severely sprained ankle or chronic ankle sprains may require physical therapy or surgery. For immediate relief from pain and inflammation, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can be used as directed during the initial stages of recovery. Additionally, the RICE method may help reduce symptoms and expedite the healing process. So what is the RICE method? Lets take a look
Next, braces or bandage wraps can be used to compress the joint, minimizing the buildup of fluids around it. Some people find slip-on compression braces convenient and effective, while others prefer to use adjustable bandages for a customizable fit. A bandage may be easier to apply for individuals dealing with greater pain and sensitivity. Lastly, its important to keep the sprained ankle elevated after the injury. As is the case with the compression and ice portions of the RICE method, keeping the sprained ankle elevated will limit the blood flow to the area and minimize swelling. This can be achieved by propping the ankle up on a pillow while in bed or seated. Remember, keeping the leg elevated above the heart is ideal.
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Tip #: Fully Restore Your Ankles Strength And Flexibility
And while the previous advice on how to heal a sprained ankle faster kind of touched upon the importance of rehab exercise, this one is going to help you fine-tune your ankle after an injury.
It’s time to focus on actually getting you back out there on the running tracks.
After the sprain, there has to be an adjustment period, and these exercises should help you get back into your old routine in no time:
Walking
You know what they say: You have to walk before you can run.
So, start moving every day, as much as you can, without pushing yourself too hard, of course.
With time, you’ll notice that bearing weight isn’t a problem anymore.
Take that as the first sign that complete recovery is just around the corner.
Strengthening Exercises
The next step towards the recovery is making your joint and the muscles around it strong again.
Not only are these strengthening exercises important in healing a sprained ankle faster, but they can prevent any future injuries, as well.
Balance Exercises
Another thing you should focus on is regaining balance and control that might be compromised as a result of the injury.
Also known as proprioception exercises , these workouts are aimed at improving your overall balance, as well as strengthening your ankle.
Even something as simple as single-leg standing can have a massive impact on your recovery.
What Can I Expect If I Have A Sprained Ankle
After giving your ankle time to heal and treating the sprain according to your healthcare providers recommendations, you’ll be able to get back to regular activities. Your prognosis depends on your commitment to building strength back in your ankle through exercises and rehabilitation. If your ankle hasn’t healed completely or you stopped the strengthening exercises, your injured ligament could weaken and put you at risk for future ankle sprains.
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Should I Use Rice For My Ankle Sprain
How you should treat your sprained ankle depends on the severity of the injury.
Mild sprains can often be treated at home. The traditional RICE method was once considered tried and true. But it may not always be your quickest route to recovery.
Some experts, including Dr. Gabe Mirkin, an early advocate of RICE and credited for coining the acronym, have reevaluated the benefit of rest over exercise and the need to ice a sprained ankle.
PRICE is another acronym for a method of managing injuries like sprains and simply highlights the strategy of protecting your injured limb along with rest, ice, compression, and elevation. It advises protecting or keeping the injured area still in the first moments, hours, and day of the injury.
Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care , mild exercise may help speed recovery after resting for a period of one or two days. A position statement published by the National Athletic Trainers Association indicated that gentle exercise is good for blood flow and that it helps speed up healing. Exercises that strengthen muscles in the calf and ankle can be helpful for improving balance and stability, reducing the risk of reinjury.
Start with gentle strengthening exercises. Dont continue with any exercise that seems to aggravate your symptoms. Talk to your doctor or physical therapist about the types of exercise that might be beneficial for you.
Can I Go Back To Sports
If you have an ankle sprain, you’ll probably need to take some time off from sports and other strenuous physical activities. Make sure your sprained ankle is completely healed first.
You can go back when:
- The swelling goes down.
- The sport does not cause pain.
- The doctor says it’s OK.
- You can bear weight without a limp.
- You have your full range of motion.
- Your strength returns to normal.
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What Should I Do If My Friend Twisted Her Ankle
Treating Your Sprained Ankle
How do you wrap a twisted ankle?
How to wrap a sprained ankle
Should a twisted ankle be strapped?
Compression helps decrease swelling and provides stability to your ankle by immobilizing it. You should apply a compression bandage as soon as a sprain occurs. Wrap your ankle with an elastic bandage, such as an ACE bandage, and leave it on for 48 to 72 hours. Wrap the bandage snugly, but not tightly.
Questions To Ask Your Doctor
- What grade of ankle sprain do I have?
- Do I need to wear a cast, boot, or brace? If so, for how long?
- How long until I can return to my regular activities?
- What can I do to prevent re-spraining my ankle?
- What should I look for in supportive shoes?
- What kind of ankle brace should I wear when playing sports?
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The First 24 To 72 Hours
Ankle sprains are very common injuries that can affect anyonefrom professional athletes to those with limited mobility, from children to adults. They occur when the ligaments that support the ankle go beyond their normal range of motion and become stretched or torn.
If you suspect you may have sprained your ankle, the first step is to check for the symptoms of a sprain:
- Sudden, sharp pain that forces you to immediately stop moving or take weight off the ankle
- Pain that’s located on the spot of the injured ligament
- Swelling or bruising at the site of the sprain
- Limited or no ability to move the ankle a certain way or stand on it
Next, you should follow the tried-and-true treatment protocol of R.I.C.E: rest, ice, compression, and elevation.
Rest: Avoid activities that actively cause pain in your ankle. However, you still want to promote faster healing by doing simple range-of-motion stretches or isometric moves with the ankleas long as they don’t cause pain.
Ice: Treating a sprain with ice can reduce pain and swelling. When you ice your ankle, make sure you use a cloth barrier between the ice and your skin and limit icing session to 10 to 15 minutes every 1 to 2 hours.
Compression: An elastic bandage can bring down swelling and stabilize the joint. Wrap it snugly, but not so tight that it causes numbness or tingling. And remove or significantly loosen it when you go to bed at night.
Tips That Will Help You Heal A Sprained Ankle Faster
You’re outside, following your typical exercise routine, when suddenly you twist your ankle.
And just as you thought you were lucky enough to avoid an injury, a sharp pain hits you – you just sprained your ankle.
So, what now?
These things take weeks and even months to heal, and of course, you don’t want to wait that long.
Well, it seems like knowing how to heal a sprained ankle faster might come in handy.
After all, getting you back on your feet and onto the running track is our shared goal.
I think it’s time for you to check out my six tried-and-true steps to a quick recovery!
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When Should You See A Doctor
Ankle sprains are always worrisome as they are internal injuries. By simply looking at them, it is not possible to determine the severity of the situation. You should seek medical attention if any of the following is applicable to your injury.
- If your ankle is abnormally swollen, and the swelling is not subsiding with OTC medication.
- You are unable to put the slightest weight on your ankle.
- If you notice bruising on the ankle and its surrounding areas.
- If the pain does not reduce despite taking painkillers for several days after the injury.
- If your ankle continues to feel weak even after physiotherapy.
Healing A Sprained Ankle Fast
I dont want to get into too much detail regarding ice and why it does NOT work very well for healing an injury in this post, because I want to focus on what does work. But, if you want to learn more about all the ways that ice interferes, and in some ways, actually stops the bodys natural healing response to an injury, please
Okay, so what can you start doing right away to start healing a sprained ankle overnight? The first thing you need to do is dramatically increase healthy circulation to the injury. Typically, with an ankle injury, there will be a lot of damage and swelling in the area. Your body does this to help contain the injury and minimize any more damage by inhibiting movement.
Then, your body races to send lots of healing white blood cells to the area, which serves two VERY important functions: One, they gobble up and remove the waste from the injury. And two, they help rebuild healthy tissue. Obviously, you want to support this as much as possible if you want to heal fast.
I designed the first two steps of the HEM Ankle Rehab System to dramatically speed up this natural healing process within the body. Its all about removing waste and getting healthy nutrients and white blood cells into the ankle joint to speed up the quality of the healing process. And in really good news, it works VERY FAST! You can actually feel the improvements immediately upon applying the treatments at home. You do not need any equipment and you can literally do it all from home.
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Check If You Have A Sprain Or Strain
It’s likely to be a sprain or strain if:
- you have pain, tenderness or weakness often around your ankle, foot, wrist, thumb, knee, leg or back
- the injured area is swollen or bruised
- you cannot put weight on the injury or use it normally
- you have muscle spasms or cramping where your muscles painfully tighten on their own
| Sprains | |
|---|---|
| Torn or twisted ligament | Overstretched or torn muscle |
| Most common in: wrists, ankles, thumbs, knees | Most common in: knees, feet, legs, back |
Ankle Sprain Recovery Time
- Grade 1ankle sprain recovery time grade 1 is mild. It requires 3 to 5 weeks for healing.
- Grade 2 ankle sprain recovery time is moderate. It requires 4 to 6 weeks for healing
- Grade 3 ankle sprain recovery time is a severe grade of an ankle sprain. It requires 3 to 6 months. It is the longest recovery time for a sprained ankle.
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How Do You Tell The Difference Between A Sprain And A Break
Sprains, Strains, Breaks: What’s the Difference?
- Sprains are a stretch or tear of a ligament, the tissue connecting 2 bones. …
- Strains are a twist, pull, or tear of a muscle and sometimes a tendon. …
- Breaks are a fracture, chip, or complete break in bone, often caused by accidents, sports injuries, or bone weakness.
How Are Ankle Sprains Diagnosed
To diagnose ankle sprains, doctors ask about the injury and do an exam. They’ll check the bones and soft tissue of the ankle, watch the person’s range of motion, and do strength tests.
Sometimes, the doctor may order an X-ray or other imaging study to see if there are other injuries, such as a broken bone.
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How Do You Fix A Twisted Ankle
Treatment
What Is A Sprained Ankle
Your ankle joint connects your foot with your lower leg. Three ligaments keep your ankle bones from shifting out of place. A sprained ankle is when one of these ligaments is stretched too far or torn.
Doctors grade ankle sprains by how severe they are:
- Mild . Your ligaments are stretched but not torn. Your ankle still feels stable. You may have some pain and stiffness.
- Moderate . One or more ligaments are partially torn. The joint isnât totally stable, and you canât move it as much as usual. You have swelling and moderate pain.
- Severe . One or more ligaments are totally torn, and your ankle is unstable. You have a lot of pain and canât move it.
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What Helps A Sprained Ankle Heal Faster
Tips to aid healing
- Rest. Resting the ankle is key for healing, and wearing a brace can help stabilize the injured area.
- Ice. Using an ice pack may reduce blood flow to the injury and help ease pain and swelling.
- Compression. Compression helps stabilize the injured joint and may reduce swelling.
How Long Will It Take For My Twisted Ankle To Heal
Asked by:Casandra Mertz
Mild, low-grade ankle sprains will usually heal in one to three weeks with proper rest and non-surgical care. Moderate injuries may take between three and four weeks. Because of limited blood flow to the ligaments of the ankle, more severe injuries may take between three and six months to heal.
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What Causes An Ankle Sprain
According to the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Association, people who play sports are at higher risk for sprains. But you dont have to be an athlete to experience a rolled ankle. Anything that causes your ankle to roll, twist, or bend at an abnormal angle can cause a mild sprain or worse. The Mayo Clinic finds that other common causes both in sports and otherwise- include walking on uneven surfaces, falling, landing awkwardly on your foot after jumping or pivoting, or having another person or object land on your foot.
These sports injuries are most often reported in tennis, basketball, football, soccer, volleyball, and cross country running.
Even if youre not an athlete or weekend warrior, you might be at a higher risk of sustaining a sprained ankle if you:
- commonly walk on uneven surfaces
- are in poor physical health
- wear improper shoes
- or have suffered foot and ankle injuries in the past
