If you’ve ever abruptly turned your ankle, you know how it feels to have a twisted or sprained ankle. The pain is intense and comes from the ligaments surrounding the ankle being stretched beyond their limits. It’s not a pleasant experience, but a twisted ankle treatment is often possible at home with rest. However, in rare cases, a sprained ankle may indicate something more serious than just an injury.
In this blog, we’ll dive deep into the symptoms, causes, and treatment of twisted ankle.
What is a twisted ankle?
Picture this – You’re out running errands, your foot slips on the ground and your ankle twists. You know it’s bad when you hear that crack!
The term “twisted” refers to a sprain or strain of ligaments – tissue that connects bones to other bones. Ligaments can be damaged in such an injury, which often causes pain and swelling around the joint. If a severe enough sprain occurs, torn ligaments may result in instability within the joint as well as deformity.
Sprains are graded based on how much they are stretched or torn:
- Grade 1: A mild sprain that causes no damage to the ligaments, but pain and swelling may occur.
- Grade 2: A moderate sprain that causes partial tearing of one or more ligaments with some joint instability.
- Grade 3: A severe sprain in which there is a complete tearing of one or more ligaments with significant instability of the joint.
What causes a twisted ankle?
- Falling on an uneven surface: When your foot lands on a jagged stone or another irregularly shaped object, it can twist your ankle.
- Falling on a hard surface: If you trip and fall on a sidewalk or pavement, your feet will have no cushioning to absorb the fall’s impact, which could cause you to injure your ankle.
- Falling on a slippery surface: If you slip while walking across a wet floor or snow, you may twist your ankle as it slides forward under the weight of your body during the fall and before landing.
- Landing awkwardly after jumping off something high (like stairs): This kind of landing forces all of your body weight onto one foot at once and can cause serious injury, including twisted ankles that result in pain and swelling as well as bruising around the joint area where bones meet one another (ligaments connect bones together).
Symptoms of a twisted ankle
The symptoms of a twisted ankle are pain, swelling, and bruising. It may be difficult to walk or stand on the injured foot. In addition, the ankle will feel tender to touch, and there may be a feeling of instability as you move around.
A twisted ankle can cause a person to feel unsteady even when standing still. The affected area will be wobbly or wobbly-feeling (also referred to as “giving way”).
There is usually stiffness in the surrounding muscles as well as warmth and redness over the entire injured area. Skin discolouration can occur from swelling and bruising, but this usually fades within several days, if not weeks, after any complications have cleared up (such as an infection).
Twisted ankle diagnosis
- A twisted ankle is a sprain of the ligaments in your ankle, but not all sprains are twisted ankles. If you have injured your plantar fascia or Achilles tendon, you’ll need a different diagnosis.
- Twisted ankles can be diagnosed through different methods. The most common kind of diagnosis is through X-ray and MRI scans, which allow doctors to see if there’s any damage to bones or ligaments in your foot and ankle.
- Ultrasound imaging can also help diagnose twisted ankles as well as monitor their progress over time.
Treatment
The treatment of a twisted ankle is similar to that of other sprains, but it involves more than just resting your foot. If you think you’ve twisted your ankle, don’t panic! There are various home remedies along with medical treatments that you can try.
Home remedies for a twisted ankle
Home remedies are often the first line of treatment for a twisted ankle. These include:
- Ice: Applying ice to the ankle helps control swelling, reduce pain and inflammation, and assist in healing. Ice can be applied directly with an ice pack or bag of frozen vegetables wrapped in a towel.
You can leave the ice on for 15-20 minutes at a time, then take it off for 1 hour before reapplying. Make sure to not place ice directly against your skin.
- Heat: Applying heat after using ice may help loosen tight muscles that have become stiff due to inflammation caused by twisting an ankle. Heat is also good for reducing stiffness after an ankle sprain has occurred.
You can use moist heat from a hot shower or bath or dry heat from heating pads, hot water bottles, electric blankets, etc., but keep them away from sensitive areas like hands and feet—it’s best if they touch only around your ankles where they’ll be more effective!
- Compression: Putting on a bandage provides compression, which helps reduce swelling and pain associated with a twisted ankle. Be sure not to apply too much pressure, though–you don’t want any blood flow restricted!
- Elevation: Elevate your injured leg as much as possible for up to 24 hours after being injured by sitting with your legs elevated or lying down with pillows under your feet.
This helps keep blood flowing back into the heart so that swelling can be reduced and pain will not be as severe or last as long. You may also want to elevate your feet while sleeping at night when possible, so they do not remain swollen overnight.
Medical treatment for a twisted ankle
The most common treatment for a twisted ankle is rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE). RICE is the standard first aid treatment for a twisted ankle and can help reduce swelling and pain.
If you have severe pain or swelling that does not go away with RICE, or if you have torn ligaments in your ankle, your doctor may recommend an MRI scan to see if there is any damage to these tissues.
Your doctor may also put on a cast or splint to immobilise your ankle. This can help prevent further damage to the joint. He/She may prescribe anti-inflammatory medications as well.
Surgery for a twisted ankle
If your twisted ankle is not improving, you may have a sprain that requires surgery.
If you have any doubts about whether or not you need surgery for a twisted ankle, it’s best to consult with an expert doctor before making any decisions.
- Arthroscopy: In some cases where there has been no fracture but just severe ligament damage, surgery may be required in order to stabilise the joint with wires, pins or screws in order for it to heal properly during the recovery period.
This type of surgery is called arthroscopic surgery because it involves small incisions through which tools are inserted into the joint to have a better look.
- Reconstruction: Surgery usually involves removing some or all of the torn ligaments and then sewing the remaining portions back together. In most cases, this will result in a patient who can’t feel their ankle at all due to nerve damage caused by the injury and subsequent surgery.
Complications of a sprained ankle
- Ankle fracture: This is a serious injury that can result in permanent disability and may require surgery. The bone fragments must be realigned and stabilised into position, then held together while they heal.
- Ankle dislocation: A serious injury where the ankle joint has been separated from its normal position, usually due to an impact or fall.
The ligaments holding the bones in place (the anterior talofibular and calcaneofibular ligaments) are torn or stretched out of shape, causing pain and swelling around the ankle joint area. You may feel like your foot is being pulled up when you stand on it with your knees bent (eversion).
Preventing a twisted ankle
The best way to prevent a twisted ankle is to wear appropriate footwear and perform physical activities or sports safely.
- Wear appropriate footwear: Avoid wearing high heels, which can make you more likely to fall. When it comes to sports, choose shoes with good traction and stability features (such as an internal heel counter).
- Avoid playing sports on uneven surfaces (such as grass or sand): If you’re going out for a walk or run, stick to sidewalks that are well maintained and free of potholes or cracks.
You should also be careful about running in crowded places like parks where there may be other people around who could trip over your feet if they weren’t paying attention—especially if they’re carrying something heavy! Remember: always watch out for children playing nearby too because they often don’t see very well!
Visit Amandeep Group of Hospitals for targeted twisted ankle treatment
If you have a twisted ankle, there’s no place better than Amandeep Hospital to seek treatment from. Our highly qualified doctors will help diagnose your condition, prescribe medications, and provide guidance on how to resolve the issue.
Moreover, we have a dedicated ‘Advance Foot & Wound Care’ Centre with cutting-edge innovations and equipment. Twisted ankle treatment depends on the extent of the injury and how the diagnosis is. So, don’t wait for the condition to worsen. Book an appointment with one of our experts today!
