According to the University of Utah Health, Americans get about 2 million ankle sprains yearly. Often, a majority of Americans with sprained ankles end up recovering quickly. However, some cases of sprained ankles may recur and put you at risk of various complications. If you have an Evergreen sprained ankle, one or more ligaments are injured or torn on the ankle’s outer side. Ligaments play an essential role in maintaining the natural position and function of the bones of your ankles.
Subsequently, below are a few things you may need to remember about a sprained ankle.
Symptoms of a sprained ankle
If you have a sprained ankle, you will feel severe pain when resting, or it bears weight. Because of the debilitating pain in your ankle, you may also find it difficult to use your leg and foot normally.
The sprained ankle may also cause swelling, bruises, and muscle spasms. For instance, muscle spasms occur when muscles become tighter in a painful way.
Moreover, the affected ankle or leg may feel tender and weak.
Causes of a sprained ankle
You may have a sprained ankle when you walk or exercise on an uneven surface, fall (trip), or participate in sports that may make you twist or roll your foot or plant your foot wrongly when jumping, running, or performing other quick movements.
Therefore, you may be at risk of a sprained ankle if you participate in trail running or play basketball or tennis.
You may also be susceptible to a sprained ankle if you wear ill-fitting high heels, have balance issues, or have ankles that are stiff or weak, especially because of a past injury.
The outward rolling of your ankle and inward turning of the foot to turn causes the stretching and tearing of one or more ligaments outside the ankle.
Although a rare occurrence, it is also possible for your ankle to roll inward and the foot to turn inward, which stretches or damages the ligaments inside the ankle.
Sprained ankle diagnosis
Diagnosing a sprained ankle will involve your health provider asking questions about the injury and general health.
Also, your doctor will perform a comprehensive physical examination of your affected ankle. That may involve gently pressing around the affected ankle to determine the injured ligament, testing if your ankle can perform its normal range of motions, and assessing the ankle joint stability.
Furthermore, your doctor can identify your ankle’s torn or damaged ligaments using a medical imaging tool like an x-ray or MRI scan.
Treatment of sprained ankles
A specialist in sprained ankles will focus on enabling you to recover quickly and minimize your risk of recurring injuries.
If the ankle is mildly or moderately sprained, it may respond well to conservative treatments such as physical therapy and the RICE (rest, ice, compression, and elevation) approach.
During the treatment of your ankle sprains conservatively, you may need to take prescribed medications that relieve pain and inflammation.
If you have a severely sprained ankle, you will require surgery to repair your damaged ligament.
Contact Rocky Mountain Foot and Ankle Center today to schedule an appointment with a sprained ankle specialist.