"Foot crisis": joint sprains are no small matter, don't take sprained ankles lightly anymore

Author: Zeng Lu, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University

Reviewer: Zhu Jiaojiao, deputy chief nurse, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University

Have you ever experienced this embarrassing moment: you are enjoying the fun of outdoor walking or intense exercise, and suddenly your foot slips, accompanied by a sharp pain, and you realize that you have unfortunately "sprained your ankle". You thought it would be fine after resting for a while, but somehow, not only did the pain not ease, but your "ankle" became swollen and you couldn't even walk properly.

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How much do you know about a small "sprained ankle"

A sprained ankle is medically called an ankle sprain. It usually occurs when the ankle plantar flexes and suddenly turns outward or inward while walking, running, or jumping, causing the ankle joint to move beyond its normal range of motion and damaging the surrounding ligaments, muscles, and joint capsule. In mild cases, there may only be short-term pain and slight swelling, but in severe cases, there may be ligament tears or even fractures, requiring long-term recovery.

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Ankle injuries are graded as follows:

1. Grade 1 (minor) injury: The ligament is stretched but not torn. It manifests as mild pain, possibly with slight swelling and local tenderness. Treatment of this injury requires rest, ice, compression bandages, and supportive bandages.

2. Secondary (moderate) injury: partial ligament tear. Symptoms include moderate to severe pain, swelling, and bruising; limited joint movement. In addition to the above methods, crutches or walking boots are required to reduce weight bearing.

3. Grade 3 (severe) injury: complete ligament tear, possibly with other ligament damage. Manifestations include severe pain, significant swelling and bruising, and joint instability. Treatment generally requires plaster fixation or surgical repair, and rehabilitation training during recovery.

2. Scientific prevention of "sprained ankle" is very important

1. Dress appropriately

It is very important to choose the right shoes. When exercising, you should wear professional sports shoes, which have strong grip and good cushioning properties, and can effectively reduce the risk of sprains. In daily life, you should choose shoes of the right size, good heels and non-slip soles to avoid accidents caused by shoes that are too big, too small or have slippery soles.

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2. Warm up and stretch thoroughly

Whether you are exercising or standing or walking for a long time, you should do sufficient warm-up exercises and ankle stretching to enhance joint flexibility, wake up the muscles in advance, and reduce the occurrence of accidents.

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3. Maintain correct gait and observe ground conditions

Whether walking or running, you should maintain the correct posture and avoid bad gait such as turning your toes inward or outward to avoid increasing the probability of spraining your ankle. When walking, pay attention to the ground conditions and avoid slippery and potholes.

4. Strengthen strength training

Regularly perform ankle stability exercises, such as standing on tiptoes, raising heels, and lateral movement, to strengthen the muscles around the ankle joint and improve joint stability.

3. How should you deal with an ankle sprain?

1. RICE principle

(1) Rest

After spraining your ankle, you should immediately stop any activities that may aggravate the injury, avoid continuing to walk or bear weight, especially specific movements that will make the pain worse when the ankle is sprained. In the acute phase (usually the first 24 to 48 hours after the injury), try to avoid bearing weight on the affected foot, and use crutches, walkers or wheelchairs to assist walking when necessary to reduce pressure on the damaged area.

(2) Ice

Apply ice to the injured area as soon as possible after spraining your ankle. The ideal time is to start applying ice within 1 hour after the injury. The earlier you apply ice, the better the effect. Apply ice for 15 to 20 minutes each time and repeat every 2 to 3 hours. It should be emphasized that long-term continuous ice application should be avoided to avoid frostbite on the skin or excessive contraction of blood vessels. For ice application, you can use ice packs, cold towels or special cold therapy products, wrap them in a thin cloth or towel and apply them directly to the injured area. Be careful to avoid direct contact of ice cubes with the skin to prevent frostbite.

(3) Compression

Use an elastic bandage or a special sports bandage that is tight enough to provide enough pressure to reduce swelling but not too tight to affect blood circulation. Start at the toes and gradually wrap upwards, applying even pressure just below the ankle joint. Make sure the bandage covers the entire injured area, but avoid wrapping too tightly over the bony protrusions of the ankle.

(4) Elevation of the affected limb

Elevate the injured foot above heart level, either with a pillow when lying down or by resting it on the edge of a chair or table when sitting. Keep the injured limb elevated as much as possible while resting, especially during the acute phase, both during the day and at night, to improve venous return and reduce swelling.

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2. Pain Management

After spraining your ankle, you can use over-the-counter painkillers, such as ibuprofen, for mild pain. If the pain does not ease or worsens after taking the medicine, you should see a doctor immediately.

3. Assess the injury

Observe the symptoms after spraining your ankle. If ankle pain persists, swelling is obvious, joint movement is limited, skin color is abnormal, etc., it may be a sign of serious injury and you must seek medical attention immediately.

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4. Rehabilitation

Depending on the patient's injury, the doctor will recommend physical therapy, functional exercise or surgical treatment. Patients must follow the doctor's instructions for rehabilitation training to restore ankle function and prevent chronic ankle instability.

The key to preventing ankle sprains is to develop good exercise habits and take good sports protection. If an ankle sprain occurs accidentally, scientific treatment can effectively reduce the patient's pain and accelerate ankle joint recovery. Let's start with the details, protect ourselves, and stay away from "foot crisis".