What's the most frequent sports injury? It's the ankle sprain, a stretching or tearing of the three ligaments on the outer aspect of the ankle. In their Abington, MD, podiatric practice, Dr. Michael Block and Dr. Monica Cooney care for painful ankles sprains, helping people move and prevent further injury.
How does it happen?
Most people experience ankle sprains as they suddenly twist their lower extremities when:
- Running or jumping, particularly on uneven ground
- Stepping off a curb
- Wearing shoes which have poor support and heels which are too high
People risk painful ankle sprains when they carry excess body weight, are in poor physical condition, have a history of sprains or don't warm up sufficiently before a workout or run.
Finally, gender affects the frequency and severity of ankle sprains with women being far more prone. Experts from the Harvard Medical School attribute the difference to women's greater flexibility, smaller muscle mass, wide pelvis and more.
Signs you have an ankle sprain
Would you recognize and ankle sprain if you had one? While some sprains present only with ankle instability (wobbliness), most sprains exhibit these symptoms:
- Swelling
- Tenderness
- Ankle pain
- Bruising
- Limited ability to bear weight
- Poor range of motion
- Instability (ankle "gives out as you ambulate)
If you've been injured and experience one or more of these signs, call your podiatrist in Abington right away. Ankle pain and the other signs of sprain require immediate attention so you feel better, improve your mobility and prevent further injury. Harvard Health states that the more sprains you experience, the more likely you are to re-injure yourself.
Diagnosing and treating ankle sprains
Be sure to tell Dr. Block or Dr. Cooney your symptoms, how they started and what, if anything, lessens them. Your foot doctor will examine your ankle and take X-rays as needed. Typically, ankle sprains are graded according to severity, and while most do not require surgery, the most serious ones may benefit from it to prevent long-term problems.
To treat your sprain, your podiatrist may recommend these simple measures:
- Resting your foot and ankle
- Icing the sore, swollen area (20 minutes on and 20 off)
- Compression with an elastic bandage
- Elevation of the affected limb above heart level
- Pain relieving medications (ibuprofen, for instance)
- Physical therapy to strengthen ligaments and improve range of motion
Learn more about ankle sprains
For best healing and long-term function, bring that painful ankle to Dr. Michael Block and Dr. Monica Cooney, your podiatrists in Abington, MD. Don't delay. Call for an appointment: (410) 569-0445.