Podiatrist in North Texas - Ankle Sprain

ANKLE SPRAINS

I fell down playing basketball or I was running and fell of the curb. Now my ankle is swollen, red and bruising. What should I do? Simple answer: Get an x-ray! Ankle sprains occur very commonly in athletic people, or those wearing inappropriate shoe gear or walking or running on uneven surfaces. Most people ignore the symptoms of an ankle sprain unless it is severe. This is unfortunate because ankle sprains can lead to chronic instability, arthritis and disability when treated improperly.

What causes an ankle sprain? These often occur from a fall, sudden twist or blow that forces the ankle at an abnormal angle. If the bone doesnt break, the ligaments either stretch or tear causing an ankle sprain. The severity and long-term outcomes form an ankle sprain depend on whether the ligaments stretched, partially tore or are completely torn. There are also three ligaments that can be involved, so the number of ligaments affected also mediates outcomes.

The symptoms of an ankle sprain are relatively straight-forward: pain, swelling, bruising, difficulty walking, and stiffness in the joint. This can be just slightly annoying or so severe you have trouble putting your foot on the ground.

Treatment for ankle sprains include: R-I-C-E therapy (see acute inflammation section). You should start this treatment immediately then call your foot and ankle surgeon for an appointment. Often, a fracture of the ankle or foot can be involved and long-term outcomes hinge on proper treatment.

Why do I need a doctor to treat my ankle sprain?
1. Untreated ankle sprains lead to life-long instability, weakness, and pain.
2. Severe injuries including fractures and cartilage injuries can be subtle and overlooked; this can lead to long-term arthritis.
3. Rehabilitation of an ankle sprain needs to start promptly to facilitate good outcomes. A delay in treatment can lead to a need for surgery that could have been avoided.
4. The best way to evaluate an ankle sprain is a physical exam, coupled with x-ray and often an MRI to evaluate the ligaments. A simple ER visit cannot perform a thorough exam.

Treatment for your ankle sprain usually includes immobilization in a brace, walking cast or below knee non-weightbearing cast is severe cases. This is coupled with anti-inflammatories and early physical therapy. Severe cases may require prompt surgical reconstruction and even arthroscopy to clean up cartilage damage.

Proper diagnosis of the severity of the injury and timely rehabilitation are the keys to successful outcomes in an ankle sprain. Call or contact the office today if you have the symptoms of an ankle sprain.

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[aradied1]

my bad little sister went crazy,

i was playing soccer when i fell in a ditch and really hurt my ankle. my mom was out of the house and i didnt know what to do. it got swolen rather quickly so i iced it. it still hurts after a week and i cant walk on it. should i get it checked out???

[aradied1]

;ksjgasgh



[MrHetherton]

hi that is a very interesting statement you made about people with flat feet. i have very flat feet, i sprained my ankle april 2010, went to doctor had it bandaged told to rest it for a couple of weeks by keeping it up and took tablets such as neuro fen to reduce swelling. anyway it was fine a couple of weeks after or so i thought up until lately when my ankle swole up again and began to hurt, but this time my leg got stiff and week. this is happening on and off for last few weeks.

[bboyken08]

i sprained my ankle for about a week and a half ago.. i did not x-ray it.. and now it is getting better i think.. when it will be full recovered.. will it be as good as it is not sprain? sorry for my bad english..

[HannahS8775]

i moved mine alot when i sprained it and it got better in only 3 weeks, so itis better to move it! (when u can)

[allencrutches]

will i get crutches in the er  if i go to er and its hard to walk should i demand crutches

[VicTricks]

I think my foot is without orthotic like the left pic. at 0:56. What can I do to make it look like the right side of that slide?

[jdanovic]

thank you, this really helped me :D

dont mean to sound cheesey, i have been having these pains for a while and you raelly helped me get in the right direction, thanks :)