Ankle injuries are typical and can happen to anyone. These types of injuries can be accompanied by severe pain, inability to walk, or a broken bone. In most cases, the primary concern is whether there is a broken bone or not. This article discusses various causes and treatment options for ankle injuries that might come in handy if you injure your ankle.

Causes

If you stress your ankle beyond the strength of the ankle joint, you will cause an ankle injury. Different reasons are responsible for different types of ankle injuries. Ankle injuries are classified as:

  • Sprained ankle: If ligaments suffer a tear
  • Ankle fracture: If the bone breaks

Fractures and sprained ankles can also occur simultaneously. Some several causes for such condition can be:

  • Extending or flexing the joint
  • Twisting the ankle (side to side)
  • Rolling the ankle ( in or out)
  • Applying too much pressure on the joint, especially by jumping from a high location.

Symptoms of Ankle Injuries and Symptoms

  • The initial and most common symptom of ankle injury is pain. However, the pain is not usual and can be identified, as mentioned below.
  1. The pain will not be confined to the exact area of the fracture.
  2. You may experience associated fractures of the knee and toes, as well.
  3. The pain will increase if you try to walk.
  • You can experience frequent swelling around the ankle. The swelling indicated that there is damage in the soft tissue with blood around the joint.
  • You can also experience black and blue bruising around the injury area.
  • You might also see some deformities, especially in the case of severe fractures. You might notice your skin stretched over a bone or a bone poking out.
  • If the blood vessels and nerves of the foot are also injured, you might notice more pain along with numbness, lack of movement, etc.

Medical Care

If you injure your ankle, there are a few things that can determine whether you require medical attention or not. If you are unsure about whether to visit a doctor or not, here are a few points to consider. You should visit a doctor if:

  • You cannot put weight on the ankle
  • You are experiencing intolerable pain even after taking OTC pain medications.
  • Resting and home care does not reduce the pain.

Although walking might still be a possibility with a broken ankle, it will be difficult. Your doctor will decide the best kind of treatment for you, so be sure to visit an Atlanta orthopedic clinic. If you cannot see a doctor for a check-up, here are a few symptoms that, if noticed, you should rush to an emergency department immediately.

  • Deformity of ankle bones
  • Bone poking out of the skin
  • Intolerable pain even after taking OTC medicines
  • Inability to move ankle and/or toes
  • Numbness in angle or foot
  • Bruises, cold or blue foot

Examination

When a doctor checks your ankle, the main concern is to identify if there is a fracture or not. The doctor will also check for joint instability, which can be the result of multiple fractures. It might also include, along with ankle fracture, a ligament injury, or a fracture with a ligament injury. The doctor will start with physical examination and can order X-ray and blood tests depending upon his observation.

Ankle Injury Self Care

If you hurt your ankle, you need to call or visit a doctor. However, in some cases, doing so might not be immediately possible. Here are a few tips to follow until you visit a doctor or a doctor visits you.

  • Don’t put pressure on the injured ankle at all as it can worsen the damage.
  • Don’t hang the ankle, keep it elevated to avoid pain or swelling.
  • If you have swelling, apply cold packs to the affected area.

Medical Treatment

Medical treatment depends on the type of injury. If there is no fracture or ligament tear, the doctor might recommend rest, cold packs, and OTC painkillers. If the doctor identifies a fracture, he will prescribe a splint or cast depending upon the type of fracture. If the bones don’t line up properly, the doctor can align them before placing cast or splint. The operation will be an option if the bones cannot be adequately aligned. An operation can also be needed if any bone has broken through the skin.

Conclusion

Ankle injuries are typical and can happen to anyone. Most ankle injuries are a result of “slip and fall” incidents. Being careful during your daily activities is the best you can do to avoid such accidents. However, if you injure your ankle, don’t worry. Most of the ankle injuries are little cramps that are not at all serious. In some situations where you fracture your ankle, you might need medical attention. Your doctor will examine you and then prescribe an effective treatment.