Every fifth person in the world faces ankle sprain, statistics are disappointing. Among women at risk are those women who prefer high and unstable heels. As for men, fans of powerlifting, runners, as well as those who are professionally involved in basketball or football, are most at risk of injury.
What could be the reason?
The main reason for ankle sprain is wearing shoes on a high platform or heel. As a result of walking in shoes with heels, the load on the ankle is not evenly distributed, which in turn ends in a ligament injury.
Many athletes are not immune to this kind of stretching when the joint is subjected to heavy load without prior training. The ligaments are partially torn, thereby saving the bone from further damage.
In addition, any injury can cause ankle sprain:
- Jump or fall from a height.
- Kick in the foot.
- Deformation of the foot due to too much load (ice, uneven mountain surface).
At the same time, any healthy person has strong ligaments and they are not so easily prone to stretching. However, if they are weakened, then in this case stretching cannot be avoided. What can weaken the ligaments:
- Constant load on the ankle joint from an early age.
- Overweight.
- Flat feet present from birth, or connective tissue disorder.
- Lower limbs vary in length.
In addition, the ligaments are affected by the instability of the ankle joint, which appears as a result of arthrosis, osteomyelitis and other internal inflammatory processes.
Signs of ankle sprain
When the ankle is stretched , the person immediately feels pain. In some cases, you can hear a crunch, and even cotton.
The characteristic features are as follows:
- swelling of the tissues;
- the appearance of a hematoma;
- burning sensation on palpation;
- the appearance of acute pain sensations of a pulsating nature (when stepping on the leg, turning the joint to the sides, and even at rest);
- the temperature rises in the place where the stretching occurred.
What is characteristic, this symptomatology is also characteristic of bone fractures.
The degree of sprain
Since the ligaments do not have nerve endings, pain, even with severe damage, can manifest itself in different ways. In total, there are three degrees of severity of the stretch. Accordingly, the above symptoms of ankle sprain may be minor or pronounced.
I degree
In this case, ankle sprain often occurs with a slight dislocation or fall. The integrity of the ligaments is still intact, with the exception of a number of fibers that are partially torn.
Stretching can be cured at home. Damaged tissue can repair quickly. In this case, the majority of the load falls on whole ligaments. The victim does not need outside help and can move independently.
II degree
It occurs due to a strong fall or shock. Damage is more extensive - most of the fibers that form the ligaments are affected. However, the integrity is also not yet broken, and therefore conservative treatment will give the desired results. Therefore, there are no reasons for panic in women who tucked up their legs. However, consultation with a doctor should also not be refused.
By pain, it seems that the bones of the ankle or foot are broken. It is already difficult for a person to lean on his leg, often he needs outside help when moving. In this case, to begin the recovery process, the limb must be at rest. Otherwise, soft tissue can be seriously injured when walking.
III degree
Here we are talking about a complete rupture of ligaments, which usually happens with a serious dislocation of the ankle joint or a fall from a great height. Typically, such an injury accompanies a bone fracture.
In this case, it is almost impossible to do without surgical intervention. Under normal conditions, the ligaments are constantly slightly taut, and as a result of a rupture, they are completely disconnected.
It is necessary to restore their integrity by fixing the fibers with suture material. If the sprain occurs against a background of rupture of muscle fibers or tendons, bone fracture, a plaster cast must be applied. This happens to many athletes. They can twist a leg almost every day.
Diagnosis
To make an accurate diagnosis, the doctor needs to understand a bone fracture or sprain. For this, first of all, a simple palpation procedure is carried out and, of course, a visual examination.
After that, the doctor may prescribe a number of additional studies:
- X-ray This is the most informative technique for determining bone fractures.
- Contrast arthrography (X-ray examination using contrast fluid). Contrast material is introduced into the joint, penetrating the ligament attachment area. And if there is a gap, it will be discovered.
- Ultrasound - the procedure allows you to examine soft tissue and bone structure using ultrasound.
- MRI - this study is conducted for complex injuries of the ankle joint and allows you to determine the need and method of surgical intervention.
At home, it is not possible to perform an accurate diagnosis to detect ankle sprain. The recovery time is also unlikely to be set independently, so it is imperative to consult a doctor. Often, a simple visual examination is enough to detect sprain I or II degree.
In order to distinguish the partial damage of the fibers from their complete rupture, it is enough to pay attention to the structure of the ankle. The anatomically correct form indicates that the integrity of the ligaments is preserved.
Controversial situations
In some cases, controversial situations may arise during the diagnosis, and then stress testing comes to the rescue. The patient needs to take a supine position with his legs bent at the knees. The doctor holds the shin with one hand, and with the other begins to move the heel forward.
The appearance of pain during the movement of the limb back and forth or in different directions will be a clear evidence of a strong sprain.
First aid
In order not to aggravate the situation after receiving an injury, it is important to clearly understand what to do when stretching the ankle. First of all, you need to fix the limb. This is mainly due to the fact that the characteristic signs of sprain have a lot in common with signs indicating a bone fracture. Therefore, it is better that the leg is at rest until an accurate diagnosis is made. In addition, if this is still a fracture, then resting on the leg can provoke the displacement of fragments.
To determine the integrity of the bone structure, it is not recommended to step on the foot or move it. You can use one of the first aid techniques:
- Apply a cold compress. Only ice should first be wrapped in some kind of cloth or towel. Bleeding will stop, the development of inflammation will be stopped. However, it should be kept no more than 30 minutes.
- Take painkillers (Analgin, Ketanov, Diclofenac). How to relieve ankle swelling after stretching? In the absence of damage to the skin, you can use external products, that is, ointments.
- Ensure rest of the injured limb before carrying out diagnostic measures.
I degree injury can be cured at home. The pain is not yet so strong as to interfere with movement. However, if a change in joint configuration is detected, surgery may be necessary.
Sprain Treatment
Treatment of sprain should be carried out only after an accurate diagnosis, however, this rule applies to any disease.
After appropriate diagnostic measures, it is necessary to straighten the ankle, and the faster the better. And, again, you should not perform such a procedure yourself. The doctor carries out the manipulation using local anesthesia.
After the bone has been repositioned, the doctor applies a circular bandage to the damaged ankle, which limits the possibilities of the joint. Gypsum may sometimes be required when spraining the ankles. As for the term of wearing the bandage, it all depends on the severity of the injury. Typically, this period lasts from two weeks to one month.
The full course of therapy for partial damage to the ligaments includes:
- The use of anti-inflammatory drugs or ointments.
- Taking painkillers, if necessary. Usually they will be needed by people who do not tolerate pain.
- Means for resorption of hematomas.
- Conducting therapeutic exercises, which will strengthen the ligaments and give them elasticity.
- Ensuring complete rest after an injury, wearing an elastic bandage when stretching the ankle.
In most cases, the treatment is conservative. Self-healing usually occurs after a few weeks.
What can not be done
There are the most common methods of therapy, which in this case should not be used categorically:
- rubbing with alcohol tinctures;
- thermal procedures;
- performing gymnastics when puffiness has not yet passed.
The main thing is to provide ligaments with the opportunity to independently recover due to their regenerative abilities. Premature stress can lead to repeated stretching of the ankle.
Surgery
Surgical intervention is performed with a partial, but more extensive or complete rupture of the ligaments. Usually this corresponds to II or III degree of stretching. During the operation, an incision is made on the skin, and cartilage is assessed. After this, the damaged fibers are sutured. In the case of complete separation of the ligament from the bone, it is fixed back. At the end, the wound is sutured with special threads, gypsum is applied. It will have to be worn for about 7 days. Subsequent recovery measures (physiotherapy, exercise therapy) are carried out after removing the stitches for 10 weeks.
It is only worth considering that the operation is not a complete guarantee, since such a procedure has its own advantages and disadvantages. Among the pluses, the possibility of a more detailed examination of the joint can be noted. Surgical intervention also allows you to connect the ends of the ligaments, remove the hematoma and eliminate additional damage.
Cons: scars remain, nerve conduction is weakened, the cost of treatment is not so affordable. In addition, the rehabilitation period takes a lot of time.