What is an ankle sprain?
An ankle sprain is an injury that occurs when you stretch the ligaments in the joint too far. It's a painful injury that many people suffer at some point in their lives, especially physically active people.
Ligaments are tough connective tissues that link the ends of the bones in your joints, enabling you to move while keeping the joint stable. When you sprain a ligament, it damages the fibers and, sometimes, results in tearing or a complete rupture, where the ligament detaches from the bone.
Sports that require you to twist or roll your ankles are a common cause of ankle sprains. However, you could sustain this injury with a simple misstep that puts all the weight on the joint and forces it to twist or bend.
What symptoms does an ankle sprain cause?
The primary symptom of an ankle sprain is a sharp, deep pain when you incur the injury, followed by aching and throbbing in the affected joint. Other symptoms you're likely to experience include:
- Swelling
- Bruising
- Tenderness
- Difficulty walking or bearing weight
- Instability
These symptoms closely resemble those of a broken ankle, so you may not know if you have a sprain or a fracture. As the treatment for these conditions does vary, it's important that you visit Rogozinski Orthopedic Clinic promptly for an expert diagnosis.
Unless you receive the right treatment and rehabilitation after an ankle sprain, you might not recover full function. Ankle instability is a common result of improperly healed sprains, causing the ankle to give way during everyday activities.
How is an ankle sprain treated?
Ankle sprains usually respond to conservative treatments, starting with the RICE protocol (rest, ice, compression, and elevation).
You should keep your weight off the ankle, so the damaged tissues have time to heal, and follow the physical therapy program your provider recommends to help restore the ankle's strength and range of motion.
You're unlikely to need surgery for an ankle sprain unless there's severe damage that can't heal naturally. A partial tear might need stitching, while your provider might need to perform reconstructive surgery if a ligament ruptures.
Ligament reconstruction involves using a graft of tissue taken from elsewhere in your body to rejoin the separated ends of the ligament and reattach it to your bones.
Minor ankle sprains can get better in as little as two weeks, but a severe sprain could require up to 12 weeks to heal.
To get prompt treatment for your ankle sprain, call Rogozinski Orthopedic Clinic and schedule a consultation or book an appointment online today.
