Have you ever twisted your ankle?
It can happen easily.
Sometimes it’s a sports injury, like if you injure yourself while running.
But it can also happen if you’re just walking around.
Twisting your ankle can lead to a number of different injuries.
The one we’ll look at today is an ankle sprain.
Ankle sprains are one of the most common type of foot injuries.
But they can be a major hassle, and interfere with your daily life.
However, getting the right help can make a big difference in how you get better.
This is a common issue we see at our podiatry clinic and we can help.
Our expert podiatrists will treat your injury, and help you to get you back on your feet.
In this article, we’re looking at ankle sprains — how they happen, and how a podiatrist can help in your treatment.
What Happens When You Sprain Something?
Let’s talk about ligaments.
Your ligaments are bands of soft tissue that connect your bones.
They can stretch to some extent like a strong rubber bands to hold your bones or joints with in the foot and ankle in place.
But really, they function more like a seat belt in a car so you do not go fly out the window if you were an accident.
Now, ligaments have a certain amount they can stretch.
This helps keep your joints steady.
It also helps you stay flexible.
But for example, when you sprain your ankle, you make the ankle twist or turn in a way it shouldn’t.
This pushes the ligaments past their normal limits.
When they are pushed too far, they can stretch or tear.
Most of the time, when you sprain your ankle, you hurt the ligaments on the outside of your ankle.
When the ligaments tear, you might have swelling or bruising.
You might also feel pain when you try to put weight on your foot.
How Do You Get A Sprained Ankle?
Ankle sprains can happen in different ways.
They often happen when your foot suddenly twists or rolls.
This makes your ankle joint move out of its normal spot.
You could roll your foot and ankle in an inward manner or in the opposite way.
This can commonly happen while playing sports, or while running.
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If you play sports where you run, jump, and change direction fast, like basketball or in tennis, you are more likely to sprain your ankle.
Sudden or unexpected moves during sports can cause your ankle to twist inwards.
But you don’t have to be an athlete to sprain an ankle.
It can happen just while you’re out walking.
That’s especially true if you’re walking on an uneven surface, like a forest trail.
As well, you might twist your ankle while slipping on ice.
Walking on wet ground can also be tricky.
Wearing inappropriate footwear can also cause sprained ankles.
In particular, if your shoes are too big, they might cause you to slip or if they are worn out.
That’s also true if you’re wearing high heels.
If you’ve sprained your ankle in the past, you might be more susceptible to a sprain in the future.
You want to be careful so you do not develop instability otherwise the next time you sprain your ankle you could fracture it.
How To Tell If You Have A Sprained Ankle
Here are some of the common signs that you might have a sprained ankle:
- Pain that gets worse when you try to walk on it
- Swelling, either right away or after a few hours
- Inflammation
- Feeling tender
- Bruised skin
- Stiffness
- Decreased range of motion
You can even sprain your foot or ankle while working out on machine that may not involve standing.
You might also hear a popping sound when it first occurs.
Now, you might notice that some of those symptoms are true of other injuries as well.
Sprained ankles are sometimes mistaken for other ankle injuries.
For example, stress fractures have a lot of similarities.
Achilles tendonitis and plantar fasciitis can also bear similarities to a sprained ankle.
That’s especially true if the pain you feel is closer to your heel than your calf.
That’s why it’s important to get a proper diagnosis if you have an injured ankle.
Each of the above injuries has different treatment protocols.
When you see your podiatrist, they’ll start with a physical check-up.
They will look at your ankle and gently move it in different ways.
This helps them see how much you can move it, and try to find out which ligaments might be torn.
Usually, we start by ordering you an X‑ray and in severe or chronic cases you may end up needing MRI imaging.
An X‑ray is mostly used to rule out any broken bones.
From there, your podiatrist will determine what type of ankle sprain you have.
There are three different grades.
With a Grade 1 sprain, this is the mildest sprain.
In that case, you likely have stretched the ligament more than usual or could have a small tear or partial tear.
You might have only a little swelling, tenderness, and stiffness and likely will be able to walk on it.
For this kind, sometimes just resting your ankle is enough to help it heal and following the RICE protocol.
With a Grade 2 sprain, it’s a bigger tear.
However, it’s not a complete tear.
It will likely hurt more than a Grade 1 sprain and walking can be difficult.
Your ankle might be stiffer and more swollen as well.
These sprains usually take several days to feel better.
A Grade 3 sprain is the most serious type.
It means your ligament or ligaments have completely torn or ruptured.
You’ll likely have severe swelling, bruising, and pain.
Often, people with a Grade 3 sprain can’t put any weight on their ankle at all.
This type of sprain often needs a lot of rehabilitation before you can go back to sports or regular activities.
Knowing the grade of your sprain helps you and your podiatrist understand what to do next.
If you have sprained your ankle more than once, each recovery may not be the same.
This is why it is important to see a doctor.
How A Podiatrist Can Help Treat A Sprained Ankle?
Okay, so you know you have an ankle sprain or you think you do.
Here are some ways a podiatrist can help with an ankle sprain:
1. Diagnosis
As we mentioned earlier, getting the right diagnosis is key.
If your injury is worse than you think, you may end up aggravating it.
Getting the right diagnosis will give you the knowledge you need to properly heal.
2. A Treatment Plan
Your podiatrist will create a treatment plan geared toward your unique needs.
It’s not just about general advice.
They’ll take into account things like:
- The severity of your injury
- Your age
- Your level of fitness
- The activities you like to do
- What caused your injury
- And more
For sprains that aren’t too bad, they might suggest things you can do at home.
This often includes RICE – rest, ice, compression, elevation.
They might suggest using crutches if you need them to avoid putting weight on it.
Other options they may recommend include pain medication and mobility aids.
More serious sprains tend to require more help.
This could mean wearing a boot or brace to keep your ankle still, and even using crutches to stay off your ankle for a period of time.
3. Surgical Intervention
Surgery can sometimes be necessary for ankle sprains.
But if the damage is really bad, or if your ankle is not stable, or if other treatments don’t work, it may be needed.
Your podiatrist will advise you on what this looks like.
Surgery can involve looking inside the joint to clean it up (arthroscopy) and reconstructing (fixing) the torn ligaments with special anchors with sutures or suture tape.
If your injury is severe, the ligament left may be of poor quality.
In that case, special grafts maybe needed in the reconstruction.
The type of surgery depends on how bad the sprain is and what kind of activities you do.
4. Rehabilitation Advice
Your podiatrist can provide you with important advice on rehabilitation.
This may include guidance on what exercises to do.
These exercises help you get back your strength, balance, and range of motion.
It can also help decrease your risk of a repeat injury.
5. Preventing Future Ankle Sprains
Finally, your podiatrist can help you avoid spraining your ankle again.
They can look closely at how your foot and ankle move.
They can figure out if there’s anything about the way you walk or stand that makes you more likely to get sprains.
They might suggest ways to lower your risk.
This may include things like:
- Using supportive devices, like ankle tape or a brace
- Exercises to strengthen your ankle
- Recommending the right footwear
- Providing orthotic inserts
- Proper warmup techniques
- And others
Book Your Appointment With Our Podiatry Clinic Today
Ankle sprains may be common, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore them.
With the right diagnosis and care, you can heal properly and reduce your risk of a future ankle injury.
Whether your sprain is mild or severe, a podiatrist can guide you through treatment, recovery, and prevention.
At the Chesapeake Foot And Ankle Institute, we can help heal your sprained ankle, and get you back to doing what you love.
Book your appointment with the Chesapeake Foot And Ankle Institute today.
