If you or someone you know has a sprained ankle, you should find out as much as you can about the condition. It’s also helpful to know about this common problem to improve your chances of avoiding it. Below are a few of the most common questions about ankle sprains.

A Brief Guide to Sprained Ankles

Why do ankle sprains happen?

Sprained ankles occur when an awkward movement causes ligaments in the ankle to stretch and tear. Ligaments are bands of tissue that connect bones and keep movement stable. Anything that causes your ankle to twist or roll can lead to a sprain, including playing sports, walking, or climbing stairs.

How can you avoid it?

Warming up and stretching before exercise will help prevent ankle sprains. Also, wear shoes that fit correctly to reduce the risk of stumbling, and take care when walking on uneven surfaces. Stability and balance exercises will strengthen your ankles and reduce the risk of twisting an ankle due to unsteady movements.

Is the condition serious?

Having a badly sprained ankle can significantly reduce your mobility for a time, but you should regain full movement after recovery. Symptoms include pain, bruising, and inflammation. Normal recovery time is around six weeks, but it could be longer for a severe sprain.

Physicians grade sprains as mild, moderate, and severe. Mild means that you stretched a ligament but didn’t tear it, while moderate is for partial tears. Finally, severe sprains are a full tear, which will be painful and stop you from moving your ankle for a while. 

How do you treat sprained ankles?

You should rest for the first few days after the injury and use an ice pack to reduce inflammation. After that, you can move around more and take over-the-counter pain medicine if it helps you to get mobile again.

When you are resting, keep your ankle elevated above the level of your heart to reduce pain and swelling. Doing gentle exercises with your ankle will help your recovery, including simple movements like lifting your heel up and down.

When you sprain an ankle, you should have an expert assess the extent of the damage and follow the right recovery plan. St. Peters Foot & Ankle: Samuel T. Wood-DPM serves patients within a 35-mile radius around St. Peters and Florissant, MO. Dr. Samuel Wood has more than 20 years of experience and offers everything from routine checkups to reconstructive surgery. To talk to a friendly representative, call (636) 720-0190 or visit their website.