Ankle sprain
Description
Most people have sprained their ankle at some point in their lives. But if the ankle becomes swollen and painful as a result, it is most likely sprained. This means that the ligaments in the ankle are tight and possibly torn.
Although ankle sprains are common, they are not always minor injuries. Some people with repeated or severe sprains may develop chronic joint pain and weakness. Treating a sprained ankle will help prevent to prevent future problems with it.
What are the symptoms?
With most sprains, there is immediate pain at the site of the tear or strain. The ankle usually begins to swell immediately and the area becomes sensitive and painful when moved.
For more severe sprains, you may hear or feel something like a pop when the impact or injury occurs. You will likely initially be in a lot of pain and be unable to walk or even put light weight on your leg.
Typically, the more severe the pain, the worse the sprained ankle is and the longer it will take to heal.
What are the causes?
Most ankle sprains occur when a person makes a sudden movement with their leg such as playing football and kicking the ball. The most common is the ankle sprain, in which the external ligaments are injured due to the foot rolling inwards, for example when stepping sideways.
And less commonly due to rolling the foot out and tearing or stretching the external ankle ligaments.
Ankle sprains can be of varying degrees depending on how much the tendon is affected and how many of the ankle ligaments are injured.
With a mild sprain, the ankle may swell, become tender and stiffer than usual. But usually the affected person feels stable in standing position as walking causes slight pain.
With a more serious ankle sprain, it is possible to bruise and the area around the ankle becomes sensitive, and walking in most cases is very painful. With a severe sprain, the ankle is unstable and the patient avoids stepping on it, because even the slightest pressure on the joint causes severe pain.
Treatment of sprained ankle
• To protect yourself from complications, it is good to use a brace-type ankle orthosis;
• It is possible to need< strong> to use crutches until you feel that walking is no longer painful.
• For at least the first 24-72 hours or until the swelling goes down, you can apply ice to the affected area. For this procedure to be effective, you must keep the ice for at least 10-20 minutes and repeat it every 1, maximum 2 hours during the day.
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as acetaminophen or paracetamol will help reduce swelling and pain.
• Compression – it is advisable to put some type of compression bandage around the affected ankle as it helps to reduce swelling and should be worn within the first 24-36 hours of the injury. A compression bandage will not help you put weight on the foot, so if you plan to walk a long time, you will need to use the orthotic as well.
• If possible, you should keep your ankle elevated, above the level of your heart for 2-3 hours a day. This will also reduce swelling and prevent bruising.
