Sprained Ankles

04 Feb Sprained Ankles

With basketball season underway one of the most common injuries we will see this time of year is sprained ankles. Sprained ankles are common. So is physical therapy for sprained ankles, but many clients ask: what is a sprained ankle? An ankle sprain occurs when the ankle rolls, twists or turns in an awkward way. Usually this happens when a player lands awkwardly or runs on an uneven surface

An ankle sprain is a stretch, tear, or rupture of at least one of the ligaments in the foot. Most of the time the ankle will roll outward while the foot rolls inward. A sprained ankle will swell and bruise immediately. It may also be tender and sensitive to touch.

With very severe sprains you may hear a pop or a tear and experience extreme pain. That pop was the sound of the ligament in your foot tearing in half. OW! If this happens you may not be able to walk or even put your weight on that foot, which is why you should consider therapy for the sprained ankle.

The time a sprain takes to heal varies with its severity. A light sprain where there is only a slight stretching of the ligaments, slight instability, pain, swelling, joint stiffness, and trouble walking may take anywhere from 5 to 14 days to heal. A severe sprain where the ligament has completely torn where you cannot walk, there is extreme pain, and severe swelling and excessive bruising may take anywhere from 8 to 12 weeks to heal.

Most sprains can be treated at home using the RICE approach as follows:

Rest. You may want to stay home but if you need to walk with crutches for a few days until you can walk without pain, that’s okay.

Ice. Apply an ice pack for 10 to 20 minutes every hour or two for at least the first 24 to 72 hours or until the swelling goes down, Be sure you always keep a thin layer of cloth between your skin and the ice pack.

Compression. Wearing an ACE bandage for the first 24 to 36 hours after can help reduce the swelling. Because an ACE bandage will not offer protection, you will also need a brace to protect your ankle if you try to put weight on it.

Elevation. To help reduce the swelling and bruising, raise your ankle above the level of your heart for 2 to 3 hours a day if possible.

You may also want to take some over the counter pain medications like ibuprofen or acetaminophen to manage the pain. Wait until you can hop on your ankle without any pain before returning to any sports related activities. If you don’t see any improvement in a few days after using the RICE method, you may have a severe sprain and will need to see a doctor.

Proper treatment and rehabilitation exercises are important when treating sprained ankles. Without them repeated or severe sprains can develop into joint pain and weakness. If you’ve experienced a sprained ankle recently or in the past, call us today to set up an appointment. With our therapy for sprained ankles, we can show you ways to strengthen your ankles and protect yourself from future sprains.