With the start of the school year comes the start of many sports seasons. Not only will many of us watch these games on television, but many of our family and friends will participate on local teams. One of the most common sports injuries today is an ankle sprain. Many of us have twisted or “sprained” an ankle at some point in our lives. Did you know that if you have already sprained your ankle once, you have a 40-70% chance of doing it again?
A true sprain means that the ligaments holding two bones together are either stretched or torn completely. Sprains can carry different grades based upon the amount of stretching and tearing that occurs. As far as treatment goes, a speedy recovery can be helped by remembering the word PRINCE.
Protection- Many people will protect an injured ankle with a brace or splint until they can have it examined by a doctor, this will help prevent any further injury.
Rest- You should let the ankle rest so the body can start to heal the damaged tissues. Avoid all activities that cause pain or limping. Many people try to limp on their “good” ankle, and end up aggravating this ankle as well.
Ice- This is the most effective way to reduce swelling. 15-20 minutes (or until the area feels slightly numb) of direct ice on the ankle done 3-6 times daily is very effective at reducing the inflammation. You should wait at least 30 minutes in between applications of ice.
Nutrition- It is important to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables as well as an adequate source of lean protein while healing. This will provide your body with the appropriate building blocks to heal the injured tissues quickly. It is also important to note that anyone who smokes will have a significantly longer recovery time, due to our bodies reduced healing capabilities that come from carrying nicotine and cigarette smoke through our blood circulation.
Compression- Wrapping an elastic bandage around the ankle will also help reduce swelling and provide some protection. Simply wrap a bandage by starting at the toes and then working your way up to mid calf. If your toes start to feel cold or turn blue you may have the wrap on too tight, in this case remove the wrap and let the circulation come back to your foot before trying the wrap again.
Elevation- Keeping the sprained area elevated above the heart will help reduce the amount of fluid in the joint. This simple step uses gravity to keep the excess fluid heading back to the heart. If you are seated, simply propping your foot up on an ottoman or another chair will help as well.
In any event it is important to have your ankle examined by doctor to rule out instability and fracture. Many doctors will tell you to check up with them if swelling persists for more than 24 hours after the injury.
For those of us who are more proactive and want to reduce their chances of an injury, some stretching and exercises may help. Making sure that we properly warm-up before activity is key, a simple set of jumping-jacks or a light jog will increase blood flow and warm up the joints. Stretching out the calves and legs before activities will help loosen the joints and make them more pliable and less prone to injury. While at home we can strengthen our ligaments and tendons by doing balance exercises like standing on one leg for 45-60 seconds at a time. This will increase the speed with which our brain communicates with our ankles, and possibly help you avoid an ankle sprain in the future. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, try to avoid ankle injuries with proper technique and equipment, and you will be able to enjoy an entire season of your favorite sport.