How to Treat a Sprained Ankle

A sprained ankle can happen anytime and anywhere--especially when sports is involved--since a sprained ankle is the most common sports injury. Although there are worse injuries than a sprained ankle--it should still be taken seriously. Early treatment can speed up the recovery process. Just keep in mind that most injuries heal naturally over time, so be patient. If your condition doesn't improve within a week, schedule an appointment with your doctor because a more aggressive treatment may be needed. It is always better to see a doctor with any type of injury to prevent it from becoming a serious condition. Here I will offer some tips on how to treat a sprained ankle.

Things You'll Need

• Splint
• Brace
• Bandages
• Ice pack
• Rest
• Crutches
• ace wrap

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Instructions

• 1

  Protect your ankle; that is only common sense. By walking on it you'll only agitate it more. You can reduce the swelling and protect it from further injury by using a wrap, brace or splint to immobilize it.

• 2

  Rest your ankle. Stay off your feet as much as possible. If you feel like you need to get in your daily exercise, try swimming or cycling; however, just remember that if your ankle hurts even a little bit you should stop before making the condition worse.

• 3

  Place an ice pack on the sprained ankle, which will decrease swelling and provide some temporary relief. Place ice on your ankle for 15 to 20 minutes several times a day. Just remember to never ice longer than 10 minutes. If the swelling gets worse and there is pain you should see your doctor immediately.

• 4

  Elevate your ankle. You can set your bed up with a couple of pillows to rest your foot on. This will help reduce swelling as well as help circulate blood flow to your ankle.

• 5

  Compress your ankle when it is not elevated. An ace wrap can work fine for light compression. If possible, wear shoes instead of flip flops for better support.