A sprained or rolled ankle can be painful. A sprain means that the ligaments, tough bands of tissue that help stabilize your joints, have been stretched beyond their normal capacity. Several common causes of sprains include a fall that twists your ankle, walking or running on uneven surfaces, or even losing your footing while wearing shoes that do not support the ankle, such as high heels. These types of accidents can cause your ligaments to stretch, tear partially, or even tear completely.
Sprained ankle treatment should be applied when your sprain is relatively minor and does not require professional medical care.
The symptoms of a sprain are:
- Pain while bearing weight on the sprained joint.
- Lack of full range of motion.
- Swelling and/or bruising.
If you have rolled your ankle and suspect a sprain, make sure that you begin sprained ankle treatment immediately.
The best ankle sprain treatment to use is RICE therapy:
- Rest: rest the affected area immediately. Avoid any activity that causes pain or discomfort.
- Ice: apply a wrapped ice pack to the area for ONLY 15-20 minutes at a time. Repeat this every two or three hours. Never apply ice directly to skin, and never leave for longer than 20 minutes to prevent further injury.
- Compression: lightly compress your ankle with an elastic bandage until the swelling does down. Make sure the wrapping is not too tight as to restrict circulation.
- Elevation: elevate your ankle above the level of your heart for as long as is comfortable, and repeat in intervals. For best results, keep your ankle elevated while you sleep to keep down any swelling.
Home remedies such as RICE ankle sprain treatment are excellent ways to allow your sprain to heal. However, these remedies are for mild sprains and rolled ankles only. If the signs and symptoms of your sprain are severe, or do not alleviate in a few days, make sure you see a doctor immediately. It could be possible that you have a broken bone.
For more information on sprains and how to effectively give rolled ankle treatment, take a quick and simple first aid course on SimpleCPR.
