A sprain in the ankle can occur to anyone but more specifically it occurs to sports persons. Even an extended twisting motion of the ankle can damage the muscles of the ankle causing sprain. Each day thousands of people develop ankle sprain for different reasons. It happens when you walk on uneven surfaces, place your foot in awkward position or withstand enormous force or weight on your foot for long time.
Structure :
Ankle is made of three bones called tibia, fibula and talus. Tibia is the primary bone found on the lower leg which helps in absorbing body weight. Fibula is one of the small bones and talus is the other top bone found on the foot. Several muscles are found on the foot which controls the movement of ankle. These muscles are connected to tendon and hence any injury or trauma to the underlying muscles or tendons cause ankle sprain. Tendinitis is the condition of chronic inflammation of the tendons.
Sprains are not only caused by muscle injury or damaged tendons but from torn ligaments as well. When the ligaments are dislocated or overly stressed it will tear or stretch in excess causing sprain.
Causes :
Walking on uneven surface, placing the foot in awkward position while running or stepping down in wrong position can cause ankle sprain. Even placing your foot on holes or irregular surface can cause ligament tear. When one player steps up on another player accidentally it can affect and damage the muscles or ligaments inside your foot. High ankle sprain is caused due to inversion injury rather than eversion injury.
Symptoms :
The signs of ankle sprain vary widely from mild pain to chronic inflammation. There may be redness or warmth over the ankle and difficulty in walking. When the tissues or ligaments get torn it causes inflammation. Sometimes the small blood vessels rupture insides to leak out blood into the soft tissue on the joints causing swelling.
Diagnoses :
You can identify the sprain by symptoms of swelling, warmth and discomfort while walking. Your doctor will do an X-ray of the affected feet for diagnosing the extent of damage. In case of rupture on the tendons X-ray will give correct picture. In case of severe damage, CT scan is done.
Read more on Swollen Feet
Treatment :
You can manage mild form of ankle sprain by simple home remedies. Resting your feet completely, applying ice or cold-packs on the area, applying compression like braces of splint and keeping your foot elevated are some of the best forms of home treatment. Any type of muscle injury can be managed at home by following RICE therapy.
You can use over the counter medications to reduce swelling or apply ointments for decreasing inflammation. For mild to moderate pain you can take pain killers like Ibuprofen or paracetomol. When applying ice on the area, do not apply it directly, since it may worsen the problem. You can always wrap ice cubes in a soft cloth and gently place it on the swelling to get relief from pain. You can keep the ice-pack for 15-20 minutes and you can repeat this process many times a day.
Wearing an elastic wrap or braces will help you in overcoming pain and discomfort. It is better not to walk or use your legs when you are wearing Ace bandages. In case of severe damage, your doctor will apply braces or casting on the ankle to immobilize it. Crutches are yet another alternative to shift the body weight from ankle which facilitates better healing. For managing severe pain, your doctor may give Tylenol or other forms of acetaminophen drugs.
Pictures of Ankle Sprain :
Images, Pics, Pictures and Photos of Ankle Sprain
Prevention :
You need to wear right fitting shoes. Avoid wearing high-heeled shoes which may bring more damage to the muscles and ligaments. Make sure that your ankle gets enough support and protection while selecting new shoes. Daily do some aerobic exercises like walking or jogging. Practice stretching and strengthening exercises that give support to your foot. Take care when you are walking in rugged platforms.
If you are a regular player, you can always wear ankle tapes for protecting injury during events. For mild to moderate forms of injury and ankle sprain, you can consult physiotherapist to learn easy stretching exercises. Consult your physician in case you have bunions on your foot which is likely to cause ankle sprains. Most of the ankle sprains can be completely cured but you should not get repeated sprain which may damage the ligaments well within the ankle.