How to Treat a Sprained Ankle

How to Treat a Sprained Ankle

Suffering from an ankle sprain? Find out what you should do to help it heal faster.sprained ankle

Whether you twisted your ankle while trying to catch the morning bus or you had a bad fall during a baseball game, there are many everyday situations that could leave you nursing a pretty unpleasant ankle sprain. Our Wesley Chapel, FL, podiatrists, Dr. George Tjamaloukas and Dr. Kathy Tjamaloukas, provides some helpful tips for how to handle a sprained ankle if it happens to you.

What are the signs of a sprained ankle?

It isn’t always easy to tell whether your ankle is sprained or just simply strained. Of course, common symptoms of a sprained ankle include pain when putting weight on the affected foot, bruising and swelling. You may also find that you have limited mobility in your ankle. In some cases, you may have even heard a popping sound at the time of your injury.

When to see a doctor?

It’s a good idea to visit one of our Wesley Chapel foot doctors if you believe you have sprained your ankle and you are dealing with severe pain or swelling. If your symptoms are severe then it’s possible that you may have actually broken an anklebone rather than just sprained it, which will require a different treatment plan altogether.

How is a sprained ankle treated?

The treatment options that will work for you will really depend on the seriousness of your condition. In most scenarios, people are able to treat their ankle problems from the comfort of their own home with the RICE method: rest, ice, compression, and elevation.

If you have trouble walking on the affected foot then crutches or a splint could help take pressure off the sprained ankle when you move around. Once some of your initial symptoms have dissipated, we may also recommend getting physical therapy to improve your ankle’s movement, flexibility, and range of motion.

If you are concerned about the ankle symptoms you are experiencing or if you think it’s time you got your ankle evaluated by a professional, then call Comprehensive Foot and Ankle Center in in Land O’ Lakes, FL and serving Wesley Chapel, FL, today.