Physiotherapy

How to Heal a Common Ankle Sprain:

So, you just experienced another ankle sprain yet again. Did you twist it, roll it, sprain it, either way they are relatively tied to the same thing. Nevertheless, quite a painful experience I would imagine, better yet we know the feeling all too well at PhysioFirst. The best way to describe it, would be an instantaneous reaction after landing on your ankle in an awkward position, but you know the pain is forthcoming. It can be unbearable at first, ruining your day, possibly your entire week.

Now, a number of questions will start to arise, for instance: How to I lessen the pain or how big the swelling can get? It’s only natural, after all you’re trying to alleviate the stress and pain after an immediate ankle sprain. Luckily at PhysioFirst, we pride ourselves on providing pain relief and freedom of movement, so that you could go on with your day.

What kind of ankle sprain do I have?

Your ankle is a multilevel joint structure of muscle, bone and nerves which is required to shift and rotate constantly for your daily commitments. As soon as you sprain your ankle, you come to realise how important your ankle is to the total function of your entire body. Approximately 230,000 Australians see a physiotherapist for an ankle sprain or strain, each year.

However, once you have suffered an ankle sprain you will need to determine what kind of ankle sprain you have sustained. Depending on the severity of the sprain, you might have an inversion or eversion sprain. Our physiotherapists are more than capable to make that distinction:

To expose these myths, physiotherapy is a wide-ranging spectrum of qualified health professionals providing effective treatment in specialised areas of physical care to help you prevent and recover from injury, pain, and flexibility.

So, if you are curious about how a physiotherapist can help you, just know their personal objective is to improve one’s physical condition by using a selection of tailor-made treatments to mitigate your pain. Here at PhysioFirst, our experienced physiotherapists will support you with individualised therapy programs because we believe physiotherapy is about addressing the cause of injury, not just the symptoms.

An inversion sprain is mostly known as the common ankle sprain. An inversion sprain is when pressure is moving downwards upon your foot, while the twist will move inward into the ankle. Just imagine that you’re landing on your pinkie toe, leading to slow swelling and pain surrounding the ankle.

On the other hand, the most unlikely of the two ankle sprains is referred to as an eversion sprain. A moderate sprain which possesses an inverted twist within the ankle itself, resulting in ligament tears, leading to immediate swelling and possible bruising later on.

How to heal an ankle sprain?

Now I know you have been waiting to find a proactive approach to treat your most recent ankle sprain, so follow these recommendations and our physio services to help the healing process further along:

Ankle Elevation:

Once the ankle sprain is sustained, try to prevent putting pressure on your injured ankle, which means avoid standing or walking. It’s imperative that you elevate your ankle above your waist to reduce inflammation. By doing so, excess fluid is removed from the ankle which reduces swelling and soreness. Remember elevation is the key, let gravity do the work for you.

Applying Ice:

Ice is inflammation’s best friend. An ice pack will bring a cold relief while reducing the swollen area of the ankle. If possible, apply the ice within the first 24 hours after your ankle is sprained.

Compression:

Compressing is the best type of support. Swelling can be abrupt depending on the severity of your sprain. A compression bandage is the next best solution to maintaining stability whilst decreasing swelling. Wrapping a compression bandage can be quite difficult if done by yourself but ask a PhysioFirst physiotherapist to compress the ankle for you to avoid impeding circulation of the ankle.

Rest:

Steer clear of physical activities that may bring about soreness or discomfort. Rest is the best remedy after all. So, lie down, sit back, and relax.

How PhysioFirst can help you?

At PhysioFirst, we provide the best quality physiotherapy services available anywhere. We want to help you move freely without pain or discomfort. Ankle sprains can be difficult to move through and if not treated right it, can lead to probable complications in the future. Our physiotherapists employ complete hands-on therapy to assess, treat, and help you recover from your ankle sprain.

About Us

At PhysioFirst, our range of inclusive allied health professionals including Physiotherapists, Osteopaths & Podiatrists pride themselves in their ability to eliminate the cause of pain and strengthen your mobility with our Innovative, Integrative, Accessible Rehabilitative care. Enjoy your painless freedom & quality of life and recover as quickly as possible with evidence-based hands-on therapy today.