Medically Reviewed by Dr. Rachel N. Verville
September 30, 2019
Frisco residents shouldn’t think that just because they believe they have a sprained ankle, they should just wrap it, then grin and bear it. Anytime you believe you’ve injured your foot or ankle; you need a proper examination and diagnosis by a specialized podiatrist like Dr. Verville of RNV Podiatry. Without a professional’s diagnosis – and prescribed treatment plan – ankle sprains may only get worse.
Treatment for sprained ankles depends on the grade of the sprain that a Frisco resident is experiencing. Here are 5 tips for treating ankle sprains, all depending on the degree of the sprain.
- Most patients benefit from resting the affected ankle
Grade 1, and all other sprains for that matter heal faster when Frisco patients take some weight off their leg and rest. Dr. Verville understands this treatment is especially hard for athletes who get sprains while playing sports or training. But trust her, you’ll be back into your exercise routine faster if you take some time to initially let your sprain rest and heal.
- Make sure to ice the affected ankle after it’s injured
Icing your ankle is an important step that Frisco patients need to take to prevent swelling from getting worse, especially in the first 48 hours after the injury occurred. As you await your appointment with Dr. Verville (because let’s face it, injuries happen when your off work for the weekend and training), ice your ankle for 20 to 30 minutes at a time every 3 to 4 hours until swelling is gone. Yes, this means you’ll need to wake up in the middle of the night to ice your ankle, but trust Dr. Verville, staying on top of swelling is in your best interest.
- Keep the affected leg elevated
As with any injury, keep your sprained ankle elevated above the level of your heart. This will help blood flow to the injury, helping it to heal faster.
- Compressing a Grade 2 sprained ankle can help reduce swelling, as well as immobilize it from unnecessary movements
Sometimes icing isn’t enough to stop swelling. If you have a grade 2 sprain, apply compression to the affected ankle with an elastic bandage or a cushioned plastic brace, sometimes called an air splint. Not only will this help keep swelling in check, but it’ll also stop you from unnecessarily moving your injured ankle and causing any further discomfort.
- Grade 3 sprained ankles may benefit from splints, casts, braces or in rare cases, surgery when there are torn ligaments that just won’t heal on their own
Patients with very serious sprains, including torn ligaments, typically require more intervention. Usually, this results in the ankle being placed in an orthotic device to immobilize it, such as a splint, cast or brace, as even torn ligaments may heal on their own. If you’ve torn ligaments, and they aren’t healing naturally, surgery may be required to get you back on your feet.
Visit Dr. Verville Any Time You Suspect an Ankle Sprain
As you can see, a sprain can be more serious and need more treatment than some TLC.
To get a proper diagnosis and treatment plan in place dependent on the grade of your sprain, schedule an appointment at RNV Podiatry. We can be reached at (214) 385-8822.
