Nearly everyone has experienced an ankle injury at some point in their lives. There are many injury levels, from minor sprains to severe ligament damage. Most athletes will tell you about several instances when their ankles were injured. The patient will want to heal as soon as possible after sustaining injury to the ankle. This is when they should visit a physical therapist. A physical therapist will speed up the healing process. Here are the basics of rehabilitation for an ankle injury.
RICE treatment
A physical therapist can provide immediate treatment for an ankle strain. This method reduces swelling and relieves pain.
Rest:
You should rest for 24 to 48 hours after an injury. After 48 hours, gradually increase the weight of the ankle to relieve severe pain. Then you can start walking without limping.
Ice:
Ice application after any acute injury is an effective way to reduce swelling and pain. It also helps to reduce inflammation, so there’s no disability from inflammation.
Compression:
In the initial phase of ankle sprain therapy, always compress the injury using an Ace bandage. Wrap the ankle from your toes to your calf muscles. Overlap the elastic wrap by one-half of its width. The wrap wrap should be tight enough to prevent circulation from being cut.
Elevation:
As much as possible, keep your sprained foot higher than your heart. This will reduce swelling and direct blood flow to the injury.
Exercise in range of motion
After the rice treatment, the first step towards recovery is to perform range-of-motion exercises with your physical therapist. This will allow you to regain your normal functional mobility, which can be restricted by swelling and pain. To treat your ankle injury, range-of-motion exercises should be started immediately. In rare cases, complete immobilization may be required.
After an injury, immediately consult your doctor and physical therapist to determine when you can resume motion activities. The most common range recommended by physical therapists is to write the alphabet in space using your big toe. This will allow you to regain your range effectively
