Foot & Ankle Injuries
What is a Foot & Ankle Injury?
The ankles and feet work in unison to enable general mobility and ongoing support to your physical body. A sprain in the foot or ankle is actually an injury that impacts the soft tissue areas. Generally, a sprain happens when a certain injury tears, stretches, or pulls the ligaments that connect the bones together. On the other hand, a fracture is when the bone literally breaks.
Causes of Foot & Ankle Injuries
The most common causes of foot and ankle fractures and sprains are injuries. Several sprains and fractures take place while performing sports. Football players are especially susceptible to foot and ankle fractures and sprains. Runners may develop painful stress fractures of the foot or ankle, while basketball players are typically more vulnerable to ankle sprains. Dancers and gymnasts may also develop foot or ankle stress fractures as well.
Stumbling or tripping on unlevel ground is another frequent cause of ankle and foot fractures and sprains.
Symptoms of Foot & Ankle Injuries
Typical symptoms of a fractured or sprained ankle or foot include:
- Pain
- Bruising
- Swelling
- Tenderness
- Difficulty walking on the injured ankle or foot
Caring For Your Injury at Home
If you’ve injured your ankle or foot, it’s wise to be cautious and take extra care to let it heal properly. The ‘RICE’ acronym can remind you what you should ideally do:
REST:
Rest the injured area. Completely stay off the affected ankle or foot as much as possible until it can be properly assessed. Playing sports, walking, or running on an injured ankle or foot will likely make the affected area even worse.
ICE:
Apply ice to the injured area as quickly as possible and then continue to reapply it every 15-20 minutes once every 3 or 4 hours for the initial 48 hours of getting hurt. Ice is effective in reducing inflammation.
COMPRESSION:
Wrap an Ace elastic bandage around the injured ankle or foot. Wrap it so it’s snug, but not too tight. If your circulation starts to cut off it’s wrapped too tight.
ELEVATION:
Comfortably elevate the injured extremity on a few soft pillows, with your ankle or foot ideally higher than your heart for best results. Keeping your ankle or foot elevated will help decrease the overall swelling of the injury.
When to See a Doctor
If you’ve seriously injured your ankle or foot, it’s best to see a doctor right away. A doctor can determine how bad you’re actually hurt and create a personalized care plan in order to help you get back on your feet pain-free.
V. K. Puppala, M.D. helps his patients come up with a successful pain management plan to address acute or ongoing pain caused by ankle and foot injuries. He is located in Villa Rica, Georgia and treats both new and current patients throughout the Metro Atlanta, GA area and incorporates effective multidisciplinary techniques using a variety of minimally invasive pain management methods on behalf of his patients in order to achieve optimal results. Call 770-627-7246 or 770-MAP-PAIN today to make an appointment.
