Playing sports is one of the most common practices today. In addition to being beneficial for health, it also allows us to improve the quality of life. However, the type of activities carried out are highly variable. Some prefer to lock themselves in a gym to lift weights, while others prefer outdoor activities such as running or team sports such as soccer or basketball. However, carrying out a sports routine also carries its risks, among which are different types of injuries such as cervical impingement. One of the most common is the ankle sprain, which can have really variable recovery times.
What is an ankle sprain?
Our joints have very strong tissues that allow our body to stretch, giving it elasticity. For this reason, to prevent this type of injury it is necessary to perform stretching exercises to give the muscle that much-needed elasticity to stay in good shape. However, in some cases, this ligament can be overstretched or even torn, causing what is known as an ankle sprain. The difference between stretching or breaking will mark the recovery time that may be necessary to return to our normal life routine. For this reason, up to three different degrees of sprain are known. The mildest is the grade I sprain, which is usually the most bearable and is usually resolved with some stretching. Nor does it compromise being able to walk normally, although it does require some rest before returning to normal sports. However, grade II and even grade III sprains are also commonly seen. In these cases, the injury is usually accompanied by a muscle tear, which usually means that the blood vessels are affected, producing a hematoma in the area of the injury. In the first, the tear is usually partial, while in the third degree this tear is total. In both cases, the use of a boot or even a cast will be necessary to immobilize the affected area. In both second and third degree, it is possible to feel a lot of pain when the injury begins to cool down and inability to support the foot normally. Therefore, medical assistance is recommended as soon as possible in order to treat the injury and make it more bearable.
Benefits of healing a sprained ankle
All in all, properly treating a sprained ankle has numerous benefits for our health and quality of life. The most prominent are the following: Get back on your feet as soon as possible. One of the most direct benefits is the possibility of walking as soon as possible. Do not forget that in both second and third grade you will be unable to walk without the use of crutches. Therefore, if you want to put your foot back on, you must heal properly. Play sports normally. Some people need to play sports as soon as possible. A sprained ankle can prevent it for a few weeks. If not healed properly, this recovery time can be aggravated. Avoid relapses in the future. The ankles are some of the most delicate joints, and in which it is easier to relapse if a good physiotherapy treatment is not carried out once the recovery period is over. Strengthening it is vital to achieve it. Don’t compromise your self-esteem. As we have said before, not walking or playing sports can be very hard for many people. Therefore, it is important to heal this sprain to return to the most appropriate lifestyle for each one.
How to heal a sprained ankle
Some really serious sprains can end up being for life, making it impossible to return to the previous state if an adequate recovery process is not carried out. To prevent this from getting worse, it is important to follow these recommendations to correctly treat a sprained ankle. When the injury occurs, or you have symptoms of it, it is important to see a doctor as soon as possible. At the medical center, an X-ray will be performed in order to rule out possible bone fractures. Once the diagnosis has been made, a cast or some type of orthopedic material may be applied to act as an immobilizer. It is important to follow the doctor’s instructions, and rest as long as necessary. Do not forget that if a plaster is applied to one of your legs, you should inject yourself with heparin to prevent you from having any problem with blood circulation in the lower body. A daily injection should be given every 24 hours. In addition, you should avoid any type of weight or load on the injured foot, in addition to elevating it above your heart to facilitate the healing process. For 24 hours after the injury, icing can also be helpful in reducing any swelling you may have in your ankle. It is necessary that the ice does not go directly to the foot, but that it is applied to the affected area with a cloth or a bag. Perform this exercise 20 minutes every hour, and the next day you can apply it three or four times a day and reduce the application of ice as the swelling decreases.
Physiotherapy treatment is vital
During the first few hours you may also feel an enormous amount of pain. This can lead you to apply anti-inflammatories such as Spidifen, Vallathol Forte or Ibuprofen. However, during the first 24 hours it is important to avoid it as much as possible as it can increase the amount of bleeding. Remember that you must take one tablet every eight hours, and not increase the dose as this could end up being harmful. If you have a second- or third-degree sprain, it may be necessary to keep your foot immobilized for a long time. In this sense, consult your doctor aboPlaying sports is one of the most common practices today. In addition to being beneficial for health, it also allows us to improve the quality of lifeut the possibility of using an orthopedic boot. Walking with crutches can be quite cumbersome, as well as uncomfortable. With this type of footwear, you can support your foot and keep it protected at the same time, increasing comfort when walking and moving around. Obviously, driving is still strictly prohibited.
Once you have finished the recovery process, and the traumatologist considers that you can start walking, also find out about the possibility of carrying out a rehabilitation with a physiotherapist. Do not forget that the ankle is one of the areas with the greatest memory of the body. When a recovery process is finished, it is really weak, and therefore, it is necessary to exercise it correctly. In this way, you will avoid possible consequences and relapses of the same injury. The physiotherapy process itself is divided into two main parts, just as it happens with the knee sprain. In the first, heat exercises, electrodes and massage are carried out, before ending with some ice to heal the last points of swelling that may remain in the ankle. Subsequently, you move on to a part of the exercises where you begin to stretch the ligament, looking for that soft point of pain that begins to strengthen the ankle before gradually returning to normal. It is important to follow these steps with extreme caution if you do not want to have problems in the coming months. It is also crucial not to skip any of these steps.