A Twisted Ankle, Who Can Bear
January 21, 2009
Ankle sprains, although very common, can really become a pain. Anybody can sprain an ankle doing almost anything from participating in some sports to simply walking. If you have sprained your ankle, then you are among almost 25,000 people, who have also sprained their ankles. Read on to find out more about this common condition and what care you can take in it.
Ankle sprain
It is nothing but twisting your ankle. Your foot or ankle twists on the inside so that the sole of the foot is facing inwards, which you might have seen if you observe such things, this way the ligaments on the outside get stretched and damaged or even torn. This is an inversion or lateral ligament sprain. It rarely happens the other way round when you may twist your foot on the outside and damage the inside ligaments. Such a sprain is a medical ligament sprain and usually occurs with a fracture.
The science behind it
When your foot twists, then the ligaments are forced to stretch beyond their normal length, which in severe cases may also tear them. Therefore, when you fall and twist your ankle, you may not be able to stand on it. The ankle may swell accompanied by excessive pain.
Now, how much force has caused damage to the ankle ligaments, determines what grade of sprain it is. Mild stretching with some damage to the ligament fibres or fibrils results in a mild sprain of the Grade 1 type. If the ligament is partially torn then it is a moderate sprain, Grade 2. However, for a Grade 3 sprain to occur the ligament has to be completely torn and it causes gross instability upon pushing or pulling in certain movements.
The treatment
The treatment can be surgical or non surgical, although most often non surgical methods do the trick.
Grade 1 sprain
For this mild sprain you can use the R.I.C.E guidelines that include rest, ice, compression and elevate. Following these four steps, you can get complete healing.
You should take rest and not walk for a while on the injured ankle. If you apply ice immediately then it will not swell. You can use it every half an hour, 3-4 times everyday for relief. Use compression dressings, bandages or ace-wraps to restrict mobility and give support to the injured ankle. Finally, you should keep your injured ankle above your heart level for 48 hours.
Grade 2 Sprain
The same treatment for Grade 1 sprain can be followed here also, with the only difference of allowing more time to heal.
Grade 3 Sprain
This is generally linked with permanent instability. Although you will rarely need surgery, you will need a leg cast or a cast-brace for at least 2-3 weeks.
Recovering from the sprain
In order to have a complete recovery for your injured ankle, you will need to pass through three phases of recovery.
First, you will need ample rest and protection for the ankle for at least one week so that the swelling may reduce.
Another week or two will go in restoring range of motion, strength and flexibility.
The last phase may last from weeks to months. You will return slowly to normal life, first to activities that do not require any sharp movements of the ankle and then to all the normal movements of the ankle.
Stay safe
Prevention is certainly better than cure. Therefore, try to take appropriate precautions in order to stay away from spraining your ankle.
Before exercising, always warm-up your body so that it is prepared to take any sudden movement and can be ready enough to protect itself.
Do not day dream and be alert when you are walking, running, especially on uneven surfaces.
Buy yourself a good pair of shoes that are stable and not wobbly.
When you are tired, do not keep going. Slow down and allow your body to rest before you resume.
Following these precautions, you will be able to stay miles away from a sprained ankle.
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