Sprained Ankle Relief

Ankle sprains are one of the most most common injuries in both sports and everyday activity. Stepping on a stone or crack, or coming down on the foot the wrong way, can cause the foot to overextend at the ankle joint, straining the ligaments and tendons surrounding the ankle. If you sprain an ankle it is important to take immediate action to relieve pain and swelling and speed recovery.

  1. RICE

    • RICE is an acronym and mnemonic device commonly used in physical therapy which stands for "rest, ice, compression and elevation," which are important actions to take after incurring a joint sprain. The first thing you should do after spraining an ankle is to take all weight off the joint and elevate the foot above the level of your heart. This will slow the rush of blood to the area. Ice should be applied as soon as possible after you sprain an ankle, but since you will be unable to walk right after the sprain, have someone else fetch ice for you if possible so you can continue elevating the leg. Apply ice for 15 to 20 minutes every two hours for the first day or two after a sprain. This will slow down blood flow to the area, further limiting inflammation; the cold of the ice can also numb pain in the ankle, providing some relief.

      Whenever you aren't icing, compressing the ankle and calf using an elastic bandage is another way to reduce swelling. Take pain relievers and anti-inflammatory medication like ibuprofen or acetaminophen.

    Ankle Rehabilitation

    • A few days after a sprain, pain will subside and you won't need to ice constantly. Your initial goal should be to keep all pressure off the injured ankle to facilitate healing in the joint. For bad sprains, you should use crutches until you can walk slowly without pain. Limping around on a badly injured ankle may result in slower healing or cause the injury to get worse. While you are off the ankle, it can be a good idea to do some mild ankle stretching to maintain range of motion in the joint. If you go a week or two without moving the joint, it can lead to inflexibility.

      Once you can bear weight on the ankle, resume activity slowly and stop at any sign of pain. Stretch your calf muscles and Achilles tendon and do calf raises to help strengthen the ankle. One of the best rehab exercises for a sprained ankle is to balance on the injured foot. Balancing forces the small supporting muscles of the ankle and foot to engage and can help train the nerves and brain to resist ankle rolling. Avoid high-impact activities like running and basketball until your ankle is fully recovered and you have had a chance to do rehab exercises for a few weeks.