One of the basic first aid treatments everybody should know about is how to treat a sprained ankle. We use our feet for walking, dancing, and playing sport among other things. Our ankles help hold our weight and allow easier movements with our feet. Found on the ankles are the joints that allow movement of the ankles. Since they are used daily, there is a huge chance for the feet and the ankles to be injured. For instance, our feet could get caught in a hole, or trip while walking too fast, or land wrongly after a jump. These could cause injury and trauma to the ankle resulting to sprain. Knowing how to treat a sprained ankle can be very useful in incidents like these.
How to Treat a Sprained Ankle
The basic thing to remember on how to treat a sprained ankle is the word RICE. Let’s now break it up to what each letter represents:
• Rest – Since your ankle experienced trauma, it is best to give ample time for it to recover, so let it rest for a few days. It doesn’t really mean that you have to immobilize it in order for it to be well-rested, just don’t put too much pressure and weight unto it.
• Ice – Ice helps in reducing the swell of the sprained ankle. It works by narrowing the blood vessels near that area preventing the blood flow to be stuck in just one region that could cause the swelling. However, it is not advisable to place the ice on the sprained ankle for longer than 15-20mins since doing so could lead to frostbite and damage to the tissue.
• Compression – In order to correct the position of your sprained ankle and to prevent the swell from getting bigger, apply elastic compression bandages and wraps. Make sure that when you wrap the bandage you do not wrap it on too tight or too loose.
• Elevate – By elevating your affected leg up, it could greatly help in the proper circulation of blood instead of weighing it down on your feet, especially on your sprained ankle. While lying down on your back, place a couple of pillows under your injured leg to have it elevated.
Additional Tips on How to Treat a Sprained Ankle
Here are some additional tips on how to quickly heal your sprained ankle.
• While compression of your sprained ankle can be helpful in correcting the position of the joints of your ankle, it could also cause poor circulation in the area. White blood cells greatly aid in the healing process. It is advisable not to wrap your ankle with bandage all the time. Take it off sometimes and let it rest.
• While resting your sprained ankle, move or wiggle your toes occasionally. One helpful way to do this is to try to spell the alphabet using your toes.
• Submerge the affected ankle in hot and cold water alternately. Cold temperature helps narrow the blood vessels while the hot temperature helps relax the vessels allowing blood to flow freely. Alternately doing this helps in pumping out the fluid from the affected ankle.
It is important to know how to treat a sprained ankle. We never know when accidents involving the foot and ankle arise, so it is better to be prepared on how to go about it.
