You tripped and sprained your ankle

Ankle sprains are very common. Your walking along and trip, stand on something unevenly, fall down a few steps, playing sports...there are so many scenarios that rolling your ankle can happen without your preventing it. Symptoms of a sprained ankle can include: pain, bruising, tenderness, unability to walk on that foot & swelling. Spraining the outside (lateral) ankle ligaments is the most common. Ankle sprains are graded 1-3 depending on their severity. Grade 1 is a mild sprain, grade 2 involves partial tearing of the ligaments and grade 3 is a full tear. 

Ways to treat an ankle sprain

Rest- Don't spend all day standing (weight bearing), give yourself breaks, to give your ankle a chance to heel. On the flip side don't rest all day. Gently move your ankle to keep the blood flowing and encourage drainage. 

Compress- Firm compression to the area, with a support bandage can help support the ankle, control the swelling and help prevent further damage. Make such the bandage is not too tight, cutting off the blood supply. 

Elevate- By elevating your foot, you are assisting gravity, improving the drainage of the inflammation and swelling in the ankle. Have your foot elevated slightly higher than your heart.

Foot pump- This can be done with sitting watching tv, at work, or when elevating your foot. Gently pump your foot backwards and forwards. This is aimed at improving the circulation, assisting drainage of any swelling and decreasing inflammation.

Osteopathic treatment for ankle sprains

Osteopathic treatment for ankle sprains offers a multifaceted approach to accelerate healing, restore function, and reduce the risk of recurrence. Osteopaths utilize a combination of hands-on techniques such as soft tissue manipulation, joint mobilization, and gentle stretching exercises to address pain, inflammation, and restricted movement in the affected ankle. By promoting optimal alignment and mobility of the bones, ligaments, and muscles surrounding the ankle joint, osteopathic treatment aims to enhance healing and support the body's natural recovery processes. Additionally, osteopaths may provide guidance on rehabilitative exercises, proprioceptive training, and injury prevention strategies to strengthen the ankle and improve stability, reducing the likelihood of future sprains. With a focus on restoring balance and function to the injured ankle, osteopathic treatment offers a holistic and effective approach to managing ankle sprains, facilitating a quicker return to pain-free movement and activity.