Three Best Ways to Heal Your Initial Ankle Sprain
Hey Team! I hope the Summer is treating you well, and you can get out of the house with all of this smoke. One way I love staying active outside is playing basketball. How about this typical scenario.
You are playing your neighbor in half-court one on one basketball. You feel like LeBron James at the top of the key and start to do a crossover to drive past your neighbor and attack the rim. But as you cross over from left to right, you feel your ankle roll under your body, and three pops occur. Intense pain begins, and you feel like crying.
There you are, lying on the ground in pain. Your ankle is immediately throbbing, and pain is continuing to the side of the ankle. The initial shock is starting to wear off, as the sharp stabbing pain is lessening but is replaced by a burning sensation. Your body starts to feel different, and you think you might vomit.
I get this often. I usually get a call or a quick text wondering the best way to heal properly. Well… what do you do? For the complete explanation with a demonstration of exercises.. click on the link.
Here are a couple of principles to live by when you injury the ankle.
1. Ice Initially—Don’t Heat (EVER!): Ice helps minimize blood to the area and minimize excessive swelling. You will need to ice until the ankle is numb (about 15 minutes). Continue to ice every two hours to allow the ankle to regain warmth.
2. Begin Range of Motion Early: Begin early mobility to the ankle without creating pain. The ankle will want to tighten during healing; therefore, you must maintain motion during the healing phase. (usually 1-2 weeks)
3. Begin Gradual Weight Bearing: Too much walking will create more pain and swelling, but no weight bearing will delay healing. You need to find the Goldilocks approach to healing (just right!). Use an assistive device to allow a regular gait pattern and allow you to unweight the leg. You do not have to unweight the leg (unless pain warrants) altogether, but you can use a regular walking pattern while unweighting the injured ankle.
Last week we reviewed how to fit crutches properly. Click Below to Review.
Alright Team! I hope this helps to get your healing going in the correct direction after your unexpected ankle sprain. Feel free to reach out to me if you have questions on either video or starting your ankle sprain healing correctly.
Keep Moving!
Rob
The author, Rob Sumner, is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and owner of Sumner Specialized Physical Therapy. He's happy to answer any questions about this article, wellness, fitness, or physical therapy overall by phone at (509) 684-5621 or by email at Rob@SumnerPT.com
