What is an Ankle Sprain?
A sprain is an injury to one or more ligaments. A sprain is usually caused by sudden, violent movement of the affected joint. In the case of ankle sprains, it usually occurs due to a fast side-to-side motion, like a basketball or volleyball player or skateboarder. However other types of athletes, might also injure their ankle ligaments when the ankle suddenly and sharply twists. An ordinary accident like slipping on an icy step can also cause an ankle sprain. One of the most common injuries resulting from various everyday accidents is a sprained ankle. You might lose your balance carrying groceries up the stairs or miss a shallow pothole on the road while walking and suffer a sprain in an instant.
The symptoms that occur when someone sprains their ankle vary with how severe the injury is. There is moderate inflammation that can result in redness and a sensation of heat in mild cases and heavy swelling in more severe cases. There will often be bruising and resultant discoloration, as well as throbbing pain that gets worse with pressure. The severity also depends on if the person is able to bear weight following an ankle sprain or not.
There are different grades of ankle sprain with the most severe ankle sprains having a complete rupture of the ligament involved. In cases of milder to moderate ankle sprains the injury to ligament can be resolved by adequate bracing, pain management and physiotherapy. However, in the severe cases, when a ligament breaks away, the joint loses complete stability and cannot be walked on, and surgery might be required to repair it.
How physical therapy can help you
Sprains usually heal on their own and only need supportive treatment, they can still be very painful and inconvenient.
An injury like this can disrupt your daily life or take you off the field and make movement more difficult for more time than you’d like – but the right physical therapy plan can make the healing process faster, easier, and better.
Immediately post ankle sprain, visit a nearby orthopaedic doctor or follow the Peace & Love protocol. If you are able to put weight and walk on the ankle then its likely a milder or a moderate ankle sprain. In these scenarios Peace & love protocol along with physical therapy works the best. We assess you and customize a rehabilitation program taking into account your lifestyle, preferences, and any athletic pursuits. The treatment is a combination of pain management techniques, balance and proprioception, graded strengthening, taping as indicated.
However, if you are unable to put weight on your foot then you are likely having a severe ankle sprain and surgery is required. Post-surgical rehabilitation is required to return to activities or sports.