An ankle sprain can result from any number of scenarios, the most common being when you twist, roll, or turn your ankle in an unnatural way. Any of these actions can tear or stretch the ligaments that hold the bones in your ankle together. If you are having difficulty putting pressure on your ankle, please visit our urgent care clinic to receive ankle sprain treatment.
Symptoms
Depending on the severity of the sprain, there can be any number of symptoms including:
- Bruising
- Swelling
- Instability
- Tenderness to the touch
- Pain, particularly when you put pressure on the injured ankle
- Limited range of motion
What Causes a Sprained Ankle?
It is likely that your ankle sprain occurred when your ankle was forcefully moved out of its normal range of motion, which caused the ankle ligaments to become strained, stretched or torn. Common causes are:
- Falling
- Landing awkwardly after pivoting or jumping
- Exercising or tripping on uneven surfaces
Treatment
How severe your injury is will determine what kind of treatment will be required. The goal of treatment is to reduce swelling, pain, and providing optimal conditions to allow for proper healing.
– How long should I ice my sprained ankle?
- Self-care involves following the “R.I.C.E.” approach for the first few days.
- Rest – Avoid participating in activities that cause you more pain, discomfort, and swelling.
- Ice your ankle for 15-20 minutes every two to three hours.
- Compress – To reduce swelling, compress your injured ankle with a bandage.
- Elevate your injured ankle above your heart to reduce swelling.
- You may find that nonprescription pain relievers will help manage your pain.
– Will an ankle brace help?
- Walking will likely cause you more pain so crutches will help relieve some of the pressure until you are able to walk without them. If your sprain is severe, your doctor may recommend sports tape, ankle support brace, or a cast to help the healing process.
– Should I go to urgent care?
- Some, not many, cases will require surgery if the ankle is not healing correctly. Surgery may become necessary to reconstruct the tissue or repair the ligament that isn’t healing.
- If you have concerns about your sprain or would like to find ankle sprain treatment for faster healing, you are always welcome to visit an urgent care for a checkup.
You can contact our office for more information at (213) 3860-2511 or schedule an appointment online.
