Ankle Sprains, Ouch! 9 Million and Counting…
Ouch! Severe pain and swelling at your ankle. According to WebMD, 25,000 people suffer a sprained ankle every day. That’s more than 9 million ankle sprains a year and this 9 million doesn’t include the emergency room visits due to ankle sprains. Ouch! Are you part of that group of millions? Stephen Curry became one of the 9 million in April 2016 when his NBA team, the Golden State Warriors were making their playoff bid.
Ankle sprains are one of the most common foot problems we are plagued with. Ankle sprains can occur when we walk or run on surfaces that are not level, or they can occur when we simply lose our balance. Athletes deal with this concern regularly as they run, jump and dive. Losing one’s balance is also a common occurrence for new stiletto and high heel wearers. Practicing how to walk in these and using shorter strides helps most women maintain their balance in high heels, most of the time. Ankle rollovers by women still happen with great frequency.
In very simple terms, a sprained ankle is the result of stretching our ligaments too far. If you have injured your ankle before or have ‘weak ankles’, your chances of getting an ankle sprain are pretty high. Many sprained ankles can be treated at home. If you believe you’ve sprained your ankle, doctors recommend you elevate it, take a pain reliever that reduces swelling and ice it. Icing it for a about twenty minutes every couple of hours for the first 48 hours can help speed your recuperation time. Severe ankle sprains should be seen by a physician as soon as possible. If you cannot put weight on your ankle and the pain and swelling don’t diminish, or increase, you should plan to see a physician right away.
This doctor’s visit is important for two reasons. 1- the level of your sprain will be determined and the best plan of action will begin and 2- proper recovery can begin. Too often, when people don’t go to the doctor for their sprained ankles, the ankle doesn’t heal properly. This is a significant cause for ‘weak ankles’ because when the ankle ligaments don’t heal properly, the chance of rollover increases.
We have a few websites below which can help you. Enjoy your sports and heels, but be careful and pay attention if your ankles begin to swell.
http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/ankle-injuries-causes-and-treatments#1
http://www.aofas.org/footcaremd/conditions/ailments-of-the-ankle/pages/ankle-sprain-.aspx
http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/ankle-sprains
http://physioworks.com.au/injuries-conditions-1/sprained-ankle
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