What to do if ankle ligament is sprained? Emergency care method turns out to be like this

Ankle ligament sprain is a common condition in daily life, especially among women who like to wear high heels. So what should people do when they sprain their ankle ligament? In fact, there are four emergency care methods. The first is to stop exercising and rest immediately.

1. Rest and stop exercising immediately

Do not put weight on the injured joint.

2. Cold compress

Ice or other cold can help reduce pain and swelling because the cooler temperature reduces blood circulation. Apply each cold for 15 to 20 minutes, three to four times a day.

3. Oppression

Applying pressure to the injured area with a bandage or other methods can reduce bleeding and bruising. The bandage should be just tight enough that you can feel the pressure but not enough to cause numbness or ischemia in your extremities.

4. Elevate the affected limb

The main purpose of elevating the affected limb is to reduce swelling and improve blood return.

Regarding ligament sprain, when external force during exercise causes the joint to move beyond the normal physiological range, the ligaments around the joint may be sprained, partially ruptured, or completely ruptured. This is called a joint ligament sprain.

The knees, finger joints, and ankles are most vulnerable to joint ligament injuries. After a joint ligament sprain, there will be local swelling, pain, tenderness, subcutaneous bleeding, and a blue area. Early and correct treatment of joint ligament strain is very important.

Because ligament tissue is not easy to regenerate and recover, if it is not treated properly or misdiagnosed and turns into a chronic disease, it may leave functional impairment and be prone to sprain again in the future. After an acute injury occurs, activity should be stopped immediately to reduce bleeding. Immediately flush the injured area with cold water or apply ice to the affected area to stop the bleeding. Then cover with a bandage and apply pressure to prevent swelling.

If the ligament is completely ruptured or a fracture is suspected, a doctor must be asked for further examination and treatment after the pressure bandage. After 24 to 48 hours, the internal bleeding at the injured site has stopped. At this time, you can use a warm towel for hot compresses or massage to reduce swelling and promote blood absorption. When applying warm compresses, the temperature should not be too high, the time should not be too long, and the massage should not be too heavy, so as not to aggravate exudation, edema or rebleeding.

In order to promote the recovery of joint function, attention should be paid to the combination of movement and stillness, and early activities should be carried out without feeling pain. After basic recovery, strength exercises should be done on the muscles around the joints to improve the relative stability of the joints.