Tips To Treating And Preventing Ankle Pain
A sprained ankle is a very common injury. The most common problems in ankle injury is when you turn it in when you wear high heels or when you turn it over when stepping on a stone or the edge of something. This is commonly known as ankle sprain. The condition results in a lot of bruising and swelling. A severe sprain can actually tear the elastic fibers of the ligaments.
Usually, it takes around a few weeks to recover from the injury but the ligaments do not repair completely and are often left with scar tissue. This will increase the chances of recurrent sprains. This not only affects the working of the ankle but also results in problem with the working of the joints of the knee and spine.
A Grade 1 sprain is a slight stretching and some damage to the fibers (fibrils) of the ligament. A Grade 2 sprain is partial tearing of the ligament. If the ankle joint is examined and moved in certain ways, abnormal looseness (laxity) of the ankle joint occurs. A Grade 3 sprain is a complete tear of the ligament. If the examiner pulls or pushes on the ankle joint in certain movements, gross instability occurs.
You can prevent recurrent problems by avoiding activities that tend to make an already sprained ankle worse. Such activities include stepping on uneven surfaces, cutting sports that require rolling or twisting of the foot, such as trail running, basketball, tennis, football and soccer. Possible complications of ankle sprains and treatment include abnormal proprioception. There may be imbalance and muscle weakness that causes a re-injury. If this happens over and over again, a chronic situation may persist with instability.
If you are suffering severe pain, consider easing the pain temporarily with an over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) such as ibuprofen. Follow the directions on the product label. But with the help of your chiropractor, you will get a more appropriate treatment for long term relief. If the diagnosis for your foot/ankle pain is due to weak muscles, he/she will prescribe stretching and exercises to strengthen them. If the cause of your pain is due to a misplaced bone, then an adjustment is appropriate. If your pain stems from dropped arches in your feet, orthotics or a podiatrist will be referred.
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