What to do if your ankle hurts after spraining it

Sprained ankles are very common. People often get sprained ankles easily without being careful. Sprained ankles can be mild or severe, and the treatment methods for different degrees of sprains are also different. Moreover, when the ankle is sprained, the tendons will also have obvious pain symptoms. After the sprain, it is important to treat it promptly and do not rush to act. So what should you do if you sprain your ankle and have posterior tendon pain?

1. Distinguish the severity of the injury

A mild ankle sprain only causes soft tissue injury, while a slightly more serious case may be a fracture of the lateral malleolus or the base of the fifth metatarsal. Even more serious cases may be bilateral ankle fractures of the medial and lateral malleolus, or even trimalleolar fractures. Mild cases can be handled by yourself, but severe cases require going to the hospital for doctor diagnosis and treatment. Therefore, it is very important to distinguish the severity of the injury.

2. Use hot and cold compresses correctly

Hot compress and cold compress are both physical therapies, but their effects are completely different. Blood becomes active when it is hot and coagulates when it is cold. Therefore, when the ruptured blood vessels are still bleeding, apply cold compresses to control the progression of the injury. Hot compress can be applied only after the bleeding stops to dissipate the blood stasis around the injury.

3. Appropriate activities

When swelling and pain develop progressively after an injury, do not stand or walk with your body weight supported. It is best to elevate the affected limb and limit any activity. When the condition becomes stable, the affected limb can be raised to perform active movements of the foot and ankle, but activities that may cause severe pain are prohibited. Wait until the swelling and pain gradually subside before you can walk around. Walk for a short time at first and then increase the amount of time gradually after you get used to it.

4. Correct massage

Before the bleeding stops, it is advisable to continuously massage the hematoma. The method is to press the local area with the thenar eminence of the palm. The pressure should be tolerable even though it is painful. The time is to press continuously for 2 to 3 minutes and then slowly release it, pause for a moment and repeat the operation. Each repetition is 5 times as a stage, and it is appropriate to do 3 to 4 stages a day. After the bleeding stops, knead the area, using the thenar eminence or the tip of your thumb to apply a certain amount of pressure and knead the area. The direction is centered on the obvious swelling, and knead in all directions around it centrifugally. Do it for 2 to 3 minutes each time, and do it 3 to 5 times a day.