An ankle sprain is one of the most painful things. You can’t move and work properly due to the pain and you shouldn’t neglect the pain. Here a few tips for sprained ankle treatment (รักษา ข้อ เท้า พลิก, which is the term in Thai).
· Rest
Taking rest is the obvious tip for an ankle sprain. Though your ankle allows you to do small things, don’t try to avoid the pain and work. No matter what, take a rest for a particular time. This is because your ankle is already hurt and if you tend to do even a little work it will result in pressure on the ankle. If there’s more pressure than healing will take a lot of time and you need to bear more pain. So, take a rest and give some time to heal.
· Ice Pack
Use an ice pack to get temporary relief. You can either use an ice pack or frozen peas. Put the ice pack on your ankle three times a day. The reason to use an ice pack is it reduces the inflammation on the injured muscles, makes them numb, and helps in the reduction of pain. Hence, use an ice pack to reduce the pain.
· Compression Bandage
A compression bandage helps in the reduction of swelling. Though it is recommended by doctors you can still use it all by yourself. The main advantage of a compression bandage is it helps fluids stagnate in the injured place. Along with this it also compresses the swelling and helps in reducing the swelling and pain. So you can use a bandage even though it’s not recommended by the doctor.
· Elevate Your Foot
Try to elevate your foot after a sprain. Maintaining your leg at the level of your heart helps in good blood circulation. The better blood circulation, the better will be the recovery rate. You can either use pillows to elevate your foot or even try a stool. But using pillows is a better option as they are soft.
· Stretching
After a few days of sprain, you can start stretching your ankle. Small stretches and exercises help in the reduction of swelling and pain. Once you can do heavy stretches you can start walking. But make sure you aren’t giving much pressure on the injury.
So, these are the five main tips to remember if you have an ankle injury. Make sure that you are consulting a doctor first. Sometimes sprain may lead to serious issues. So it’s recommended to consult a doctor.
