An awkward, sudden movement may result in injuries caused by stretching, as well as partial or complete rupture of the tissues connecting bones and joints.
An ankle sprain is not considered a serious problem; in some categories of people, such as professional athletes, it is a common occurrence that can be dealt with on your own after first aid for a sprained ankle.
However, with repeated injuries, the stability of the joint is reduced, which can cause serious consequences. Therefore, it is necessary to properly and promptly treat an ankle sprain.
Causes of ankle sprains
Sprains occur when walking in heels, when slipping, in beginning athletes who have not yet mastered the correct training technique.
The likelihood of sprains is higher if the following factors are present:
- uncomfortable shoes;
- too high or low instep;
- sedentary or hyperactive lifestyle;
- arthritis, arthrosis, history of diabetes mellitus;
- overweight.
Unacceptable mistakes in the treatment of pathology
It is strictly forbidden to use dry or damp heat at the beginning of treatment, especially when providing first aid. The use of heating pads, products with a warming effect, including alcohol rubbing, will cause progression of the inflammatory process and increased pain.
Massage and dynamic exercises are indicated only after the main treatment. You cannot work on ligaments that have not yet fully recovered, overcoming pain.
Ankle massage is allowed only after the function of the joint has been restored.
Degrees of stretch
There are three degrees of injury:
- With a mild sprain, only some fibers are injured, the pain is not severe, and quickly passes after first aid for sprained ankle joints. The joint is functioning normally. Performance is restored within 1–2 weeks.
- When a moderate muscle strain occurs, about half of the muscle fibers are damaged, the pain is sharp, severe, constant, swelling and hematomas are possible. The functionality of the joint is impaired. Treatment until complete recovery takes up to 4–5 weeks.
- In the case of a severe, severe sprain of the ankle, almost all muscle fibers are destroyed, acute pain does not go away for a long time, and the joint is incapacitated. Depending on how an ankle sprain is treated, the recovery period ranges from three months to six months.
Symptoms of injury
The leading symptoms of a foot sprain are pain, limited mobility, swelling and bruising. They do not appear immediately, but gradually. At first, a sharp pain is felt, which intensifies when trying to lean on the foot. Gradually its severity decreases, but after a few hours inflammatory edema forms. It compresses sensitive nerve endings, causing constant pain in the foot. After the swelling resolves, an extensive dark purple hematoma forms, which persists for a week. Blood cells released from damaged vessels slowly disintegrate. Therefore, the color of the bruise also changes - it becomes greenish-yellow.
Light stretch
Mild damage is characterized by ruptures of a small number of fibers. Pain occurs only at the moment of injury, and then its intensity quickly decreases. After a few hours, a slight swelling forms in the area of the ligaments, and if a hematoma forms, it is mild. The victim feels pain when placing weight on the foot, but can move without any restrictions.
Medium stretch
This diagnosis is made to the victim when about 50% of the fibers are torn. Clinically, foot damage is manifested by acute pain, which intensifies when trying to take a step. A person can move independently, limping for a short distance. After about 5 hours, the foot swells, further limiting mobility. And after a few days, an extensive bruise appears at the site of the swelling.
Severe sprain
Damage of high severity - rupture of most of the fibers or their complete separation from the bone base. When injured, not only piercing pain occurs, but a crunching sound is also clearly heard. It resembles the sound that occurs when breaking a dry thick stick. The pain subsides slightly, intensifies with the formation of swelling throughout the entire foot, and sometimes on the lower part of the ankle. The resulting hematoma is also not localized at the site of the torn ligaments, but spreads to the heel and lateral surfaces of the foot. The victim is unable to put weight on his leg due to pain and loss of stability of the foot.
First aid for ankle sprains
Since no one is immune from injury, you need to know what to do if you sprain your ankle.
As first aid for a sprained ankle, you should:
- remove your feet from shoes;
- ask the victim to take a comfortable position;
- elevate your leg to reduce swelling;
- apply a cold compress to the sore area for two to three hours to relieve swelling, taking half-hour breaks to avoid the risk of hypothermia;
- provide fixation of the damaged area by applying a bandage;
- To relieve pain, you can give the victim an over-the-counter pain reliever. Anti-inflammatory drugs and ointments can only be taken as prescribed by a doctor.
How to provide first aid to a victim
The speed of restoration of ankle function and the intensity of symptoms depend on how quickly and efficiently first aid is provided. The victim is placed on a hard surface, covered with a thin blanket or rug, and calmed down. Provide complete rest to the damaged joint, fix the leg with a splint or bandage in a slightly elevated position.
Then use cold, applying cold compresses to reduce the intensity of pain. A plastic bag filled with ice cubes is applied to the ankle for 10 minutes every half hour. A piece of frozen meat, a mixed vegetable, or a towel soaked in cold water will also work. Cold compresses not only have an analgesic effect, but also prevent the formation of inflammatory edema as a result of narrowing of small blood vessels.
The victim is given a tablet of any non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). These are Diclofenac, Nise (Nimesulide), Ketorol (Ketorolac). If there are no such drugs in your home medicine cabinet, then use Paracetamol. Until the ambulance team arrives, such drugs will provide an analgesic effect.
Treatment
In case of a mild sprain, it is enough to provide the victim with qualified, quick assistance. For more severe injuries, you need to call a doctor - only he will determine how to treat an ankle sprain effectively and safely.
Therapy consists of taking medications with analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects. After eliminating the swelling, the doctor will recommend taking medications that improve blood microcirculation, applying absorbable ointments and warming medications.
What other injuries can be treated with MBST?
Indications for using the MBST method:
- Achilles tendon injuries.
- Tendon injuries, partial tear of the medial collateral ligament of the knee, or tendinitis due to patellar tendon syndrome.
- Hip (muscle injuries).
- Knee joints (jumper's knee, cartilage and meniscus damage).
- As a conservative addition to cartilage wear/degradation and in cases after arthroscopy.
- Bone contusion/Bone swelling, osteochondritis dissecans or bone necrosis, pseudarthrosis, fractures and stress fractures.
Recovery after a sprain
The rehabilitation period for a sprained ankle depends on the severity of the injury, the age and physical condition of the patient. On average, the healing period can last for 1–5 months.
This period can be divided into three stages:
- Reduced symptoms of the acute period. Physiotherapy and massage of the ankle and calf muscles are indicated to speed up healing.
- Preventing muscle atrophy and joint contracture. Exercise therapy in water can help increase the range of motion of a joint.
- Preparing the patient for normal exercise. For this purpose, the exercise therapy complex includes strength exercises and active exercises in the gym.
Treatment of torn ankle ligaments at ArthroMedCenter
The course of treatment is 7 or 10 procedures, 1 hour per day. At this time, the patient lies on the device and “receives” the incoming energy without feeling discomfort.
There are special programs lasting 3 days that are used for athletes after intense competitions and training, for people at high risk of developing osteoarthritis, and also to prevent damage to cartilage tissue in rheumatoid arthritis, as well as ankylosing arthritis. Magnetic resonance therapy uses the energy produced by our own hydrogen atoms to heal. In some way, sports injuries are treated with bioenergy, and therefore its use is not associated with consequences for the body and the risk of complications. The procedure can be repeated without restrictions.
Prevention of sprains
Preventive measures are very simple and can be implemented regardless of the level of physical activity:
- choose comfortable shoes for everyday wear and sports;
- regularly engage in moderate physical activity to maintain muscle tone and strengthen the ligamentous apparatus;
- avoid injuries and falls.
Shoe selection
Sprains are common among those who wear high-heeled shoes that do not provide enough support to the foot. To avoid this, it is recommended to wear comfortable shoes with low heels (up to 6–7 cm), and be sure to have a set of sports shoes and accessories for sports.
General recommendations
When actively involved in sports, it is advisable to always have painkillers and an elastic bandage on hand to fix the joint in case of sprain. Self-fixing bandages of varying degrees of extensibility are best suited.
Complications and prognosis
No injury goes away without a trace, especially when it comes to damage to ligaments, because the latter recover very slowly. Even a minor injury is fraught with serious complications, but after more severe injuries they occur even more often. These include:
- sprained ankle;
- flat feet;
- arthritis and arthrosis;
- tendonitis - inflammation of the tendons.
After mild to moderate sprains, the prognosis is generally favorable. In particularly severe cases, there is a high probability of an unfavorable prognosis, such as the development of lameness.
Diagnosis of ligament rupture
Only a qualified traumatologist with experience in treating such injuries can make a correct diagnosis. Most often, the examination begins with collecting the patient’s medical history, where the important point is the fact and nature of the injury. Then a clinical examination is performed, which always starts with a healthy joint. A number of clinical tests are performed that clearly indicate a particular intra-articular injury. In most cases, after testing, a clear picture of the damage will be obtained and a preliminary diagnosis will be made. Additional research methods are often used to confirm
- X-ray – is mandatory to have a general idea of the joint, as well as to exclude bone-traumatic injuries. It is often recommended to perform on a healthy joint;
- magnetic resonance imaging – provides a layer-by-layer image of soft tissues and intra-articular formations, which allows you to determine the nature, extent and level of damage to ligaments, muscles, cartilage, etc.
- ultrasound examination;
- CT scan;
In complex situations, when the injury is severe or old, and when clinical tests do not allow a clear clinical picture to be determined, several types of additional examination may be performed to clarify the diagnosis.