Tips For Treating A Sprained Ankle
Injuring your ankle can be a very painful and disruptive injury. Sprains can be among the more common types of injuries with your ankles, and many individuals will be ill-prepared to manage or handle this type of problem. Luckily, there are some basic guidelines to help ensure that your ankle recovers as quickly and as thoroughly as possible.
Minimize Swelling
Swelling can be one of the major problems that individuals with sprained ankles will experience. In addition to being painful, intense swelling can cause further damage to the area, which can extend the recovery time that is needed. Often, individuals will be unable to immediately seek medical care for these injuries, and if this is the situation you are facing, there are several basic tips that you can follow that will minimize the amount of swelling that your ankle experiences. One of the more effective steps that you can do is to place a cold compress on the injury. Additionally, it can be beneficial to keep the leg elevated as this will help to prevent blood and other fluids from pooling in the injured area.
Have Your Ankle Examined By A Doctor To Determine Whether It Is Broken
As soon as it is possible, you should seek to have your ankle evaluated at an urgent care facility. While you may assume that a sprain is a minor injury that will heal on its own, there can be long-term consequences if this injury heals incorrectly. Furthermore, it can be common for individuals to mistake sprains and breaks. This can lead to a situation where someone has assumed a fracture or break is a sprain, and this can cause serious complications for the patient. When your doctor evaluates your ankle, they may have x-rays taken so that they can more thoroughly analyze the damage that has occurred.
Be Prepared For Minor Rehabilitation
When a person suffers a sprained ankle, the various muscles and connective tissues in the joint can suffer extensive damage. Unfortunately, if these tissues do not properly heal, the patient's ankle may fail to fully recover. To combat this risk, you will likely be given a series of home-based exercises to do that will help to strengthen these tissues so that your ankle can fully recover. While these exercises may be unpleasant to do at first, it is imperative to follow your doctor's instructions for doing them so that you will get the best results possible from these treatments.