Sports injuries are those that occur when participating in a sport or doing an athletic activity. Exercise is beneficial to your general health and can help you develop strong muscles and bones. However, physical activity increases the chance of injury to your soft tissues, bones, and muscles. Accidents, overtraining, and contact sports all have the potential to cause sports injuries.
Sports injuries could happen suddenly or gradually over time. Acute injuries result from sudden, overwhelming force. Repetitive strain injuries develop when you regularly overuse a body part. Any injury might become chronic if it does not heal properly. So, if you have any sports injuries, you need immediate care so that they do not develop into something big.
What Are the Signs of an Ankle Sprain?
The indications of an ankle sprain vary depending on the severity of the injury. Common symptoms include:
- Pain
- Swelling
- Difficulty walking
- Bruising on the ankle
Diagnosis of an Ankle Sprain
A physical examination will include an examination of your foot, ankle, and lower leg. The doctor will touch the area around the injury and look for tenderness and rotate your foot to assess the range of motion and identify which positions create discomfort or pain.
If the injury is serious, your doctor will order one or more of the following diagnostic studies to rule out a fractured bone or to better assess the extent of ligament damage:
- X-ray: An X-ray uses a modest quantity of radiation to obtain images of the ankle bones. This test is useful for ruling out fractured bones.
- MRI: MRIs employ a strong magnetic field and radio waves to provide detailed cross-sectional or three-dimensional images of the ankle’s soft interior components, including ligaments.
- CT scan: These procedures can give more information about the joint’s bones. CT scans capture images from a variety of angles and combine them to create cross-sectional or three-dimensional images.
- Ultrasound: An ultrasound generates images in real-time by using sound waves. These photos may assist your doctor in determining the status of a ligament when the ankle is in different positions.
How To Treat Ankle Sprains
The severity of your injured ankle determines the appropriate treatment. The treatment aims to relieve discomfort and edema, stimulate ligament healing, and improve ankle function. If you have a severe injury, you may be sent to a musculoskeletal injury specialist.
Self-Care
Follow the R.I.C.E. strategy for the first 2-3 days to treat your ankle sprain:
- Rest: Try to rest and make sure you don’t make any sudden movements with your foot.
- Ice: Apply an ice pack for 15-20 minutes on the affected area, then repeat every 2-3 hours while awake. If you have diabetes, vascular disease, or impaired feeling, consult your doctor before using ice.
- Compression: Compress your ankle with an elastic wrapping bandage until the swelling subsides. Wrapping too tightly can interfere with circulation.
- Elevation: To decrease swelling, raise your ankle above your heart’s level, particularly at night. Gravity helps reduce swelling by removing extra fluid.
Medications
Over-the-counter pain medicines, such as naproxen sodium, ibuprofen, or acetaminophen are usually sufficient to treat the pain of a sprained ankle.
Support Devices
Moving with a sprained ankle can be unpleasant, so you might have to use crutches until the discomfort passes. Based on the degree of the sprain, your doctor may prescribe an elastic bandage, athletic tape, or an ankle support brace to help stabilize the ankle. For a serious sprain, a walking boot or cast may be required to stabilize the ankle while it heals.
Therapy
Once the swelling and pain have subsided sufficiently to allow you to resume mobility, your doctor will instruct you to begin a series of exercises to rehabilitate your ankle’s strength, range of motion, flexibility, and stability. Your doctor will teach you the proper technique for exercise.
Stability and balance training is particularly important for retraining the ankle muscles to function together to stabilize the joint and prevent recurring sprains. These exercises may include varying degrees of balancing difficulties.
If you injured your ankle while playing or engaging in a sport, consult your doctor to determine when you can resume your activities. Your doctor may request that you undertake certain activity tests to find out how well your ankle functions.
Surgery
Surgery is undertaken in rare circumstances when the damage fails to heal or the ankle stays unstable despite extensive physical therapy. Contact ProFootDoctors to determine whether you need surgery or you can go about without one.
Preparing for the Appointment
Make an appointment or seek emergency medical attention for suspected sprains that do not respond to self-care measures or cause ongoing discomfort or instability. If your sprain is serious, you may be referred to a specialist.
What You Can Do:
You can make a list of the following:
- A comprehensive description of the symptoms you have.
- Information concerning medical difficulties you’ve encountered, including previous ankle injuries.
- List all drugs and supplements you use.
- Any questions you have for your doctor.
What You Can Expect from the Doctor:
The physician may ask the following questions:
- How did your sprain happen?
- Which way did your lower leg turn when you hurt it?
- What self-care methods have you used?
- Can you stand on that foot or bear weight on it?
- What impact did self-care treatments have?
- Have you ever injured your ankle before?
After a thorough examination, the doctor will suggest ways of treatment and recovery. Your doctor will recommend training regimens to strengthen your ligaments and muscles and improve your flexibility once you are able to stand on your ankle.
Conclusion
Ankle sprains are quite prevalent injuries. Losing your balance can be difficult, but the pain passes quickly and you continue on your path. However, the sprain might be more severe. Your ankle may swell and feel too painful to stand on. That’s the time you go consult a doctor.
When it comes to sprains, avoid overexertion. Listen to your doctor’s advise and don’t push yourself to return to sports or other activities too quickly. Sprains generally heal nicely, but they require time to fully recover.
