Acute ankle sprain: first aid and treatment tips

Author: Chen Yin Shenzhen Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital

Reviewer: Cao Xuemei, Chief Physician of Shenzhen Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital

Ankle sprains are common in life, especially when we do some strenuous sports, such as playing basketball, jumping, and playing football. When an ankle sprain occurs, how should we deal with it in the acute stage?

We should stop the activity immediately to avoid further aggravating the injury, find a safe place to rest, and use some auxiliary tools to help walk and reduce the burden on the injured ankle. At the same time, we can follow the RICE principle.

1. What is the RICE principle?

The RICE principle is a principle commonly used in sports medicine to treat acute soft tissue injuries. It includes four key steps: Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. This principle is mainly used to reduce pain, swelling, and inflammation after acute injuries (such as sprains, strains, and bruises) and promote recovery.

2. How to implement the four steps of the RICE principle?

1. R – Rest

Immediately after an injury, we need to stop exercising and rest, avoiding the use of the ankle joint until pain, swelling, and inflammation are under control. This helps reduce congestion in the ankle joint, thereby reducing swelling and pain, preventing further injury, and giving the body time to repair damaged tissue.

Figure 1 Copyright image, no permission to reprint

2. I - Ice

We can use ice packs or cold towels to ice the swollen ankle for 15 to 20 minutes each time, and repeat every 2 to 3 hours (be careful to avoid frostbite). Continue for 24 to 48 hours or until the swelling is reduced. The principle is to use cold therapy to constrict blood vessels and reduce blood flow to the injured part of the ankle, thereby reducing swelling, pain and inflammation.

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3.C - Compression

After applying ice, gently wrap the ankle with an elastic bandage or compression stocking to provide steady pressure. Start wrapping the bandage just below the ankle and work your way up past the injured area in a figure-of-eight pattern, making sure the bandage is not too tight to limit circulation. Check the tightness of the bandage regularly and re-wrap it to maintain the right amount of pressure. This helps reduce blood flow to the injured area, which reduces swelling.

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4.E - Elevation

The patient lies flat on his back with the injured ankle elevated above the level of the heart. This position should be maintained until the swelling and pain subside. The goal is to increase blood flow and reduce swelling by raising the ankle.

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3. Assess the injury

After completing emergency treatment for an ankle sprain, it is necessary to assess the severity of the injury. If the ankle is extremely painful, swollen, or has significant limited mobility or is accompanied by other serious symptoms (such as numbness, tingling, or loss of consciousness), seek medical attention immediately. Go to the hospital for a detailed physical examination and necessary imaging studies (such as X-rays, CT, or MRI) to rule out the possibility of serious injuries such as fractures and ligament ruptures. During this period, plaster, braces, or bandages can be used to fix the injured ankle to limit its range of motion and avoid further injury.

4. Rehabilitation and treatment after ankle sprain

After the acute ankle injury is initially controlled, ankle rehabilitation training and physical therapy can be performed according to the specific situation to promote the functional recovery of the ankle joint. Rehabilitation training should be gradual to avoid overtraining and re-injury.

In short, the acute phase of ankle sprain treatment needs to be rapid, accurate and comprehensive. By following the RICE principle, assessing the injury, proper fixation and timely medical treatment, the injury can be minimized and recovery can be promoted.