Ankle sprains can occur to anyone in almost any sport or activity, but the majority of ankle sprains occur during contact sports with the top four in basketball, football, soccer and running. Ankle sprains can also occur in other activities, such as in dance, and even just when you're walking outside on uneven sidewalks. Most of us ignore the sprain, and just take it easy for the next couple of days. Even worse? Some of us try to walk off the injury, assuming that if you can put weight on the foot, you can't be that badly hurt. Unfortunately, this type of “treatment” doesn’t address the inflammatory process behind the sprain. And it can actually worsen the existing injury. So, what kind of ankle sprain treatment will help you achieve a full recovery? This post explains what to do after an ankle injury, highlighting the treatment options that will help you heal fully while reducing your risk for future injury.
Key Takeaways
- Many people can walk with ankle sprains, but doing so can worsen an injury and prevent a full recovery
- Proper ankle sprain treatment reduces the risk for future sprains and for lateral ankle instability
- In-office exams after a suspected ankle sprain can also rule out an undetected fracture
Table of Contents
What to Do After an Ankle Injury
You know that feeling: you took a funny step. Or maybe you rolled your ankle while playing ball. Your ankle hurts...pretty badly. So, what do you do now?
Often, the first instinct is to try and walk on your affected foot. But as we reviewed above, that's a bad idea. Not only could you worsen an existing injury, but you could also be setting yourself up for more ankle trouble down the road. You see, inadequate treatment of an ankle sprain can cause the ankle to become more prone to sprains. Later on, that increased risk for sprains can develop into lateral ankle instability due to the loosening of the ligaments around the ankle. (The anterior talo-fibular ligament is the most frequently sprained ankle ligament, contributing to the instability.) Fortunately, taking care of an ankle sprain correctly can help prevent these outcomes. That's why it's crucial to call your podiatrist right after an ankle injury. With proper ankle sprain treatment, we can improve your recovery process and help reduce the risk of future lateral ankle instability.
Proper Ankle Sprain Treatment: Right After the Injury
The most common method for initially treating a sprained ankle is using the simple acronym RICE. That stands for:
Rest the injured ankle from any type of weight-bearing activity. This is best accomplished by using crutches or even various casting options.
Ice the injured location for about 20 minutes at a time to help reduce swelling and to prevent further injury.
Compression by using a gel wrap or elastic bandage. This will help support the ankle.
Elevate the injured side by keeping it above your heart level. This helps to reduce both swelling and bruising.
By following the RICE treatment and by taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen or naprosyn, to help with pain management and reduce swelling and inflammation, the injured ankle will have a better chance of recovery. This approach can also prevent the risk of developing ankle instability.
In-Office Care for a Sprained Ankle
Sometimes, what looks like an ankle sprain is actually an ankle fracture. In fact, some sprains are so severe that the force of the strained tendons can cause a crack in the ankle bone. As such, when a sprain is severe, with lots of pain, swelling and bruising, we may recommend getting an X-ray of the affected ankle. This can rule out a fracture and help us inform your recovery plan.
Healing Time After Sprained Ankle Treatment
While many people think of an ankle sprain as a mild injury, the healing time can be quite extensive, depending on the severity of the damage to your ligaments.
Here are general recovery time guidelines:
Immediately after an injury, it can be tough to evaluate the severity of your symptoms. It's also difficult to determine, on your own, the amount of damage your ankle has incurred. For that reason, a visit to Dr. Andrew Schneider, our podiatrist in Houston, TX, is important after an ankle sprain. Not only will an in-office exam ensure that there is no injury to the bones of the ankle or foot. But, when you see us in the office, we can also provide thorough ankle sprain treatment. From initial recovery instructions to providing proper exercise and physical therapy recommendations to strengthen the soft tissue structures, our guided treatment plan will help you heal while also preventing future injuries and instability.
