As painful as it might sound, a sprained ankle is an incredibly common occurrence. As a matter of fact, you’ve probably had this unpleasant experience at least once before!
Although physical activity might increase the likelihood of spraining an ankle, you don’t need to be a runner or an athlete to suffer from this kind of injury.
Yes, we agree: a sprained ankle isn’t the end of the world and you’re most likely to recover with some rest. But even the simplest injury, if neglected, can later evolve into a painful and chronic situation. What is the best thing you can do to recover from a sprained ankle? Is sports rehabilitation necessary? When should you see a specialist?
Don’t worry! We’ve prepared 5 Tips to recover from a sprained ankle and have you up and running in no time!
What Is A Sprained Ankle?
You were walking -or training- and your ankle twitched. The pain that followed was intense and you experienced the distinct feeling of something going out of place.
And, as simple as it might sound, that’s what it is!
Your ligaments were stretched or torn by an unexpected movement and now you’re experiencing pain, swelling and instability.
Keep in mind that if your injury was really bad, and if you have any pre-existing conditions, you should immediately ask for your GP’s opinion and probably go through some further treatments.
Recovery might be easier than you think if you follow this easy list of tips!
- Take Some Rest…
The worst thing you can do when it comes to injuries is to apply any kind of force on the affected area. Simply put, you should refrain from exercising or, if possible, switch to other workouts that don’t involve your ankles and feet. Physical activity is good for your health but so it’s rest!
- Take Any Over The Counter Medication…
The fastest way to start feeling better is to ask for some over the counter medications. That might include painkillers or pain relief creams. Your pharmacist could also suggest you to wear some bandages to protect your ankle from moving any further.
- Listen to Your Body…
At the end of the day you know what’s best for you and your health. No one holds the same capacity of identifying when something’s wrong as you do.
If you’ve had your ankle checked but you still feel worse than you think you should, ask for further examinations and book an appointment to see a specialist.
- Make An Appointment To See A Sports Rehabilitator…
Seeing a sports rehabilitator will help you assess the gravity of your injury, and tackle your issue more carefully.
A good sports rehabilitator will also make sure you follow the right measures to prevent further injuries from happening.
- Start Working on Prevention…
Yes, a sprained ankle can happen any time. You might be walking on an uneven surface, wearing high heels… But there are some simple measures you can adopt to prevent or limit any damage from happening.
One thing you can do is exercise: reinforcing your ligaments will, in fact, dramatically decrease the chances of an injury.
Another thing would be to use the right shoes.
Make An Appointment…
Here at Northwich Foot Clinic we are trained to help you with any kind of sports injury. To book your appointment with our sports rehabilitator give us a call on 01606 45077.
Our clinic is located in the city centre of Northwich.
