Ankle Sprain Recovery
A sprained ankle is the most common type of sports injury. It is nothing but stretching and or tearing of ligaments. The most common is an inversion sprain, where the ankle turns inwards, damaging the ligaments on the outside of the ankle.
The most common damage done in a sprained ankle is to the talo-fibula, (get info from net in brief). If the sprain is worse there could be damage to the calcanao-fibula ligament, which is further back towards the back of the heel. This will also cause damage to tendons, bone, and other joint tissues.
Depending on the severity of the pain, a sprained ankle can be classified into three categories:
First degree ankle sprain – Stretching or tearing of the lateral ankle ligaments; little or no joint instability; mild pain; little or no swelling; and some joint stiffness or difficulty in walking or running.
Second degree ankle sprain – Some tearing of the ligament fibers; moderate instability of the joint; moderate to severe pain and difficulty in walking; and swelling or stiffness in the ankle joint.
Third degree ankle sprain – Total rupture of ligament; gross instability of joint; severe pain initially followed by no pain and severe swelling.
Sprained ankle treatment may require immediate first aid or longer term rehabilitation and strengthening, depending on the injury. Immediate first aid for ankle sprain reduces swelling by the RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation) technique. Getting the diagnosis right from the start is important. In addition to this, the athlete must protect the injured ankle by taping it or using an ankle support. Tape can also be used during the rehabilitation phase to protect the joint.
It is important to understand that a single test cannot give a conclusive diagnosis. It can just help to build an overall picture of the problem in the therapists head from where they use professional judgment and experience to make a diagnosis. As with any sports injury the therapist will usually follow a set procedure to diagnose an injury. He might ask the following questions:
- How did it happen?
- Was there any pain at the time? Was the pain sudden onset or gradual?
- Was there any swelling?
- Did you hear any noises, which could indicate ligaments tearing or bones breaking?
- Did you apply any emergency procedures such as RICE?
- Is there anything you do which makes it worse/better?
- Is this the first time you have injures the ankle in this way or is it recurrent?
It is estimated that 30 to 40 per cent of all ankle inversion sprains end in re-injury. To avoid this, the rehabilitation process should be continued with full fitness is regained. If the original sprain is a bad one, resulting in joint laxity then strapping the ankle or wearing a brace is necessary to prevent re-injury. Again, strengthening the ankle will provide a far more stable joint.