A sprained ankle is an injury that happens when you turn, twist, or weirdly roll your ankle. It can cause the ligaments that hold your ankle bones together to stretch or tear. Ligaments help provide strength to joints to prevent too much movement. A sprained ankle happens when the ligaments have to move beyond their normal range of motion. Many sprained ankle injuries affect the ligaments on the outside of your ankle. Naperville ankle sprain treatments depend on the severity of your injury. While self-care and over-the-counter medications can help, you often need a medical evaluation that can help determine the severity of your injury and the most suitable treatment.
Symptoms of Sprained Ankle
The signs and symptoms of a sprained ankle may vary depending on the seriousness of the problem. Usually, you can experience pain when you put weight on the affected foot, tenderness around the ankle, swelling, and bruising. Other common symptoms include a limited range of motion, instability in the ankle joint, and a popping sensation at the time of injury.
When Should You See a Doctor?
You should see a doctor if you experience pain and swelling around the affected ankle. In some cases, you may only need self-care measures. However, your doctor can help you determine whether your injury needs evaluation. If you have severe symptoms, you may have severely damaged your ligaments or broken a bone in your lower leg or ankle.
Causes of Ankle Sprains
An ankle sprain comes about when your ankle forcefully moves out of position, causing one or more ligaments in the ankle to tear wholly, partially, or stretch. Common causes of ankle sprains include falls that cause the ankle to twist, landing awkwardly on the foot after pivoting or jumping, exercising, walking on uneven ground, and someone else landing or stepping on your foot during sports.
Risk Factors
Factors that increase your risk of suffering a sprained ankle include:
- Participating in sports- Ankle sprains are among the most common sports injuries, especially when you have to jump, roll, and twist your foot or execute cutting actions such as football, trail running, soccer, basketball, and tennis.
- Uneven surfaces- Running or walking on a rough surface can increase the probability of suffering a sprained ankle.
- Previous ankle injury- If you have had an ankle injury such as an ankle sprain, you have more chances of spraining it again.
- Poor physical condition- Poor flexibility or strength in the ankles can increase your risk of a sprain when you participate in sports.
- Improper shoes- Shoes that do not fit well or are unsuitable for a specific activity increase your vulnerability to ankle sprains.
Prevention
You can prevent ankle sprains by warming up before exercising or participating in sporting activities. If you have had a previous ankle injury, you may use an ankle support tape or brace. Also, wear shoes that fit well and avoid wearing high-heeled shoes regularly.
To summarize, ankle sprains are injuries that happen when you turn, twist, or weirdly roll your ankle. The symptoms vary depending on the severity of your injury. If you experience swelling and pain around the affected area, you may need to see a doctor. They come about when your ankle is forced out of its normal position resulting in torn or stretched ligaments.
