4 Remedies for a Sprained Ankle

by Kevin Smith Author

During a friendly game of basketball with your friends, you suddenly make a misstep while doing a crossover. Initially, you just shrug it off, but you start to feel a sharp pain coming from your foot. After taking your shoe off, you notice that your ankle's swollen and red, showing signs of being sprained.

What you do during the first few hours after the accident helps you lessen the pain and heal more quickly. Here are ankle sprain care tips you need to know:

Rest

You should avoid doing strenuous activities because they worsen your current injury. Just try to relax and rest at home. But, this doesn't mean you should lie down all day. Do simple range-of-motion stretches and isometric moves for faster healing. Make sure they don't cause more pain; if they do, don't do them at all.

Ice

After getting injured, apply a cold compress to the sprained ankle right away, and let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes. Treating your injury with an ice pack or a slush bath will help reduce pain and swelling.

Do this 4 to 8 times a day for the first 48 hours of the injury, and then stop after the swelling has subsided. If you're using ice, wrap it with a piece of cloth. This guarantees that you won't get any frost burn.

Wrap

Use an elastic bandage or ankle support to bring down the swelling and stabilize the joint. Those made from elastic and neoprene will work best. Wrap it snugly, but not so much that it causes a tingling and numbing sensation. Also, try to loosen or remove it every time you go to bed at night.

Elevate

Keeping your ankle raised helps decrease pain and swelling. When you elevate your foot, try to maintain it at chest level. Lying on a bed with a pillow underneath your leg is better than sitting on a couch with your injured limb on a footstool. It's highly recommended to do this 2 to 3 times a day.

After taking care of a mildly sprained ankle for a few days, it'll be fully healed, and you'll be ready to resume your normal activities. But, if the injury's severe, it's best to visit a clinic for orthopedics in Suffolk County, NY, and let specialists check your foot. They'll give you a treatment for a faster recovery.