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What is an ankle sprain in adults
An ankle sprain is an injury when a ligament is partially or completely torn. The ankle joint itself is a movable joint, which has a rather large degree of freedom of movement. On this joint, and so there is an increased load – body weight, and when playing sports, it increases even more. Sprain is an injury more common in athletes when they do not follow safety precautions and do exercises incorrectly during training. Experts note that an ankle sprain can be earned in everyday life – it’s rather unfortunate to fall.
– Sprains of the ankle joint with a modern lifestyle is a common injury that occurs both in sports and in normal conditions. According to statistics, ankle injuries account for about 15 – 20% of all injuries received in sports, says traumatologist-orthopedist Artur Nukhov.
Symptoms of an ankle sprain in adults
The most common symptom of an ankle sprain in adults is severe pain. There are several forms of stretching, so if the pain does not go away, it is also accompanied by hemorrhage and swelling, you should immediately contact a specialist.
Usually the first degree does not require inpatient treatment, but if you start, the first degree can turn into the second, and then the situation will only get worse. Even if the pain appeared at night, there is no need to wait – contact the emergency room.
Causes of an ankle sprain in adults
As mentioned above, both athletes and those who are not friends with sports get injured.
Causes of an ankle sprain during sports:
- improper exercise;
- non-compliance with safety precautions during classes;
- incorrectly fitted shoes.
You also need to know that ankle sprains are easy to earn for football players, hockey players, and gymnasts.
Causes of an ankle sprain in everyday life:
- an unsuccessful fall, both from somewhere and on the spot;
- strong blows or pressure;
- a sharp turn of the foot, this often happens when a person walks on uneven places, for example, in the mountains;
- improperly selected shoes – in this case, the leg is tucked up and stretching occurs.
Treatment of an ankle sprain in adults
So, you suspect you have sprained your ankle. First of all, you need to apply cold. Basically, ice or cold accumulators are wrapped in a towel and applied to a sore spot. You need to keep an average of 15 minutes to prevent burns. The procedure can be repeated several times.
The next important point is that the foot must be immobilized. It is better to apply a bandage, just keep in mind that it should not be tight. Otherwise, she will pinch the vessels.
It is better to lay a sore leg above the level of the body, for example, put it on a pillow or roller.
Take a “before” photo to track if treatment is working.
As a rule, these procedures help, but if you have a severe case and it doesn’t get better, this is already a reason to consult a doctor who will select the necessary treatment for you.
Diagnostics
If the pain does not go away, but only intensifies, the leg grows in size, you need to go to the traumatologist.
Diagnosis begins with a visual inspection – if the degree of damage is mild, additional studies may not be useful.
The doctor will assess the site of damage, try to bend and unbend the foot – this is necessary in order to make it clear which particular group of ligaments is damaged and does not work.
The doctor will take an x-ray, if necessary, prescribe an MRI and other additional studies if your situation is not simple.
Modern treatments
If the doctor diagnosed you with a partial or complete rupture of the ligaments, you will have to put on a cast, elastic bandages in this case will not save you. Unfortunately, there are also cases where patients with a sprain have needed surgery to repair the fibers of the ligaments.
Treatment of the ankle joint is also carried out in hospitals, the injured leg is immobilized for 4-6 weeks, depending on what kind of gap. Recovery is long, there are cases when it stretches for 3-6 months.
Important! You need to start treatment on time if you suspect a sprain. No need to endure the pain and hope that it will go away on its own.
In hospitals, doctors can use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, inject Lidocaine, Hydrocortisone. If blood accumulates at the stretch site, you will have to survive the puncture. The procedure goes like this: the liquid is sucked off with a syringe, and doctors will inject Novocain in its place.
In the treatment, it is necessary to pay tribute to physiotherapy procedures. They are prescribed by a doctor, the procedures will help you recover faster.
Prevention of ankle sprains in adults at home
It includes the following points:
- do a warm-up when playing sports;
- wear comfortable sneakers;
- correctly perform exercises in training;
- wear comfortable shoes at home;
- timely treat diseases of the musculoskeletal system.
Popular questions and answers
We asked patients to answer popular questions about ankle sprains traumatologist-orthopedic doctor Artur Nuhov.
● rest, restriction of movements in the joint – rigid fixation in a bandage or orthosis, but it is necessary only during the day, we remove everything superfluous at night;
● elevated position – we create conditions for venous outflow of blood;
● painkillers – to reduce pain, you can drink a tablet of Ketonal or Paracetamol;
● cold – every 2 hours we apply an ice pack or meat from the freezer, after wrapping it in a towel, for 10 – 15 minutes (the nature of the pain depends on the swelling in the ankle joint – the less swelling, the less pain);
● Rehabilitation aids – a cane and crutches will allow you to recover faster from an injury.
If activity is impaired (for example, there is no pain when walking, but it increases when climbing stairs or during a jump), then this is a reason for additional examination and consultation with a specialist.