A twisted ankle is one of the most common injuries seen in urgent care centres and ERs across the country. There are numerous ways you can twist your ankle, from falling off a curb, landing awkwardly during a run, or catching your foot on uneven ground.
The severity of a twisted ankle can range from a slight niggle to pain that leaves you unable to put weight on the foot, impacting your mobility.
However, with the right care, it can be pretty easy to treat a twisted ankle, and here are some tips to do just that.
Rest and Elevate the Joint
In the first instance, you need to get off the ankle as soon as you can. Continuing to walk on it even if the pain feels manageable risks making the injury worse before it has a chance to be assessed. Find somewhere to sit down and then elevate the foot so it’s higher than your heart, as this will reduce the amount of blood pooling in the area, which in turn reduces swelling. The first 24 to 48 hours are important to help you limit swelling, so try to raise the ankle as soon as possible and keep it raised as much as you can.
Apply Ice to Reduce Swelling
Ice slows the blood flow to the injured area and helps numb some of the pain. Wrap an ice pack or a bag of frozen vegetables in a thin towel and apply it to the ankle for around 15 to 20 minutes at a time.
Repeat this every couple of hours for the first day or so. Try to avoid putting ice directly on the skin since this can cause ice burn, and don’t fall asleep with it in place either. Try to keep a consistent routine of icing in the early stages, as this can help to keep swelling more manageable than icing sporadically or waiting until the ankle has already puffed up significantly.
Get It Checked
Not every twisted ankle needs a hospital visit, but some warning signs are worth taking more seriously, for example, an inability to put any weight on the foot, a visible deformity, numbness, or pain that gets worse rather than better after a day or two of rest and ice.
An orthopedic urgent care centre can assess whether there is a fracture or ligament tear that needs more than home treatment without the wait times that come with a standard emergency room visit. Getting an X-ray also helps rule out anything that might otherwise go undiagnosed for weeks, which can turn a straightforward sprain into a longer recovery than it needed to be.
Wrap It for Support
Once swelling has come down enough to tolerate it, a compression wrap can help to stabilize the joint and limit further swelling. Use an elastic bandage and wrap snugly but not so tight that it cuts off circulation, checking that toes don’t go numb or change color.
A wrap also provides the ankle with a bit of support as you start putting weight back on it, which can reduce the risk of re-injuring it while it’s still healing. Removing it at night lets the skin breathe and gives you a chance to check on the swelling as it improves day to day.
