The ankle joint connects your foot to your lower leg. A sprained ankle occurs when the ankle turns or twists in an awkward angle. Sprained ankles are an extremely common injury occurs when the ligaments supporting your ankle stretch or tear. Ankle sprains generally occur when ligaments on the outer side of the ankle are injured.
Symptoms
A sprained ankle is painful, symptoms of a sprained ankle can vary depending on the severity of the sprain. Common symptoms include:-
- Swelling
- Bruising
- Tenderness
- Limited range of motion
- Instability in the ankle
Book an orthopedic doctor in Hyderabad when you twist your ankle, ignoring the sprain can worsen the injury. The severity and extent of your injury will determine the treatment. Ziffytech will help you to find out best doctor near me also it gives benefit to book blood test at home in Hyderabad.
Causes
Ligaments have a range of motion that helps it maintain the stability of the joint. Sprained ankles occur when the ligaments are pushed across their limits causing the ligament to stretch or tear either partially or completely. Causes of a sprained ankle may be:-
- Awkward planting of the foot during physical activity.
- Stepping on irregular surface
- Fall that causes the ankle to twist
- Another person falling or landing on the ankle during sports.
Diagnosis
The best orthopedic doctor in Hyderabad will carefully examine your foot. They may conduct a physical examination where they gently press around the ankle to find the location of ligament injury. They will also check the range of motion of the ankle. If there are no broken bones involved the best orthopedic doctor in Hyderabad will be able to diagnose the severity of your sprain based on inflammation, soreness, and bruising. An X-ray can be ordered to rule out a fracture. Other imagining tests such as MRI, CT-scan, and Ultrasound may be ordered for severe ankle sprains to evaluate the condition of the ligaments and the extent of the ankle injury.
Treatment
The treatment of a sprained ankle will depend on the extent of the ankle injury. Almost all ankle sprains can be treated without surgical intervention. The orthopedic doctor near me will aim to reduce pain and inflammation. Mild sprains can be treated using the RICE method. The RICE method for the first two or three days of the injury is beneficial RICE involves:-
- Resting the injured ankle and avoiding undue movement or activities that can aggravate the injury
- The ice pack immediately after the injury helps with the swelling. This can be repeated every two to three hours.
- Compression dressing will immobilize your ankle and provide vital support while you are healing.
- Elevate your ankle above the level of the heart helps to reduce swelling by draining excess fluid around it.
The orthopedic doctor near me will prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs to help with the pain and swelling. Depending on the severity of your sprain the orthopedic doctor in Hyderabad may suggest elastic bandages, ankle support braces to stabilize your ankle. You may need to use crutches till the pain reduces. Casts are recommended for very severe sprains. You may want to order medicines online while you are injured.
Once your sprain has healed you may need to visit a physiotherapist in Hyderabad to restore ankle strength and flexibility. This training may prevent recurrent injuries to your ankle. In case you have sustained injuries while participating in sports you need to speak to your doctor before resuming. Mild sprains may take 7 to 10 days to heal, severe sprains may take up to 12 weeks to heal.
In rare cases, surgical intervention may be needed if the injury does not respond to nonsurgical treatment. Surgeries may be performed to repair ligaments or to reconstruct a ligament.