How to Heal a Sprained Ankle Overnight?
Sometimes when you walk down the road, you might roll your ankle accidentally. This sudden movement displaces your ankle. This is called an ankle sprain. It can happen to the inner or outer ligaments and tendons of your ankle. An ankle sprain can cause your ligament to tear or stretch. It results in swelling and pain. A sprained ankle can cause severe pain. Here you will know how to heal a sprained ankle overnight so that you can get relief quickly.
Symptoms of Sprained Ankle
A sprain is often confused for a fracture. An x-ray can properly diagnose the problem. However, there are some symptoms that can tell you whether it’s a sprained ankle or not. You should check for the following symptoms:
Once you notice these symptoms, you should immediately start your treatment. If you can treat sprained ankle the fast using the right way, you will recover soon.
How to Heal a Sprained Ankle Overnight?
An ankle sprain is a common sports injury. However, it can happen to anyone. Ankle sprain causes a lot of pain. Though this condition will heal on its own over time, there are things you can do to speed up the recovery process.
P.R.I.C.E.
P.R.I.C.E. stands for Protection, Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. First, you should protect your ankle by lying down or sitting so that no pressure is exerted on your ankle. You can wear the best ankle support found in the market. A knee brace for torn ACL can also work. Second, you should limit your movement and take rest. Third, you must apply ice on the affected area. You should apply the ice for 20 minutes about five times every day. Fourth, you must wrap an elastic bandage to apply pressure on the affected area and the surroundings. This will help to reduce the swelling. Fifth, you should elevate your ankle using a pillow so that the blood circulation improves.
Anti-inflammatory Drugs
Many people take the over-the-counter medication for relieving pain due to an ankle sprain. However, for fast relief, you must take anti-inflammatory drugs. You should choose non-steroidal type drugs (NSAIDS) to ease the inflammation and pain in the affected area. You should take this drug within 48 hours after you have sprained your ankle. You can take pills like ibuprofen and use topical options which you can spray or rub on the affected area to reduce the swelling and pain.
Exercise
After your pain and swelling are reduced, you should start some mild exercises. Walking, stretching and strengthening exercises are helpful. These exercises will help your ankle to bear the weight again. Your ligaments and muscles will get flexible again. Your angle will become stronger. The ‘Proprioception’ exercise is most effective in this case. These are balancing exercises. You should try balancing on the affected leg for 10 seconds or more. This exercise will speed up your recovery process. Foot paddling is also a great exercise. In this exercise, you need to point our toes up and down by sitting or lying and repeating the motion in small circles every one to two hours.
Proper Footwear
You should wear proper footwear when you have sprained ankle. Shoes with heel and arch support are good in this case as it takes off the pressure from your injured ligaments. You can find a wide range of shoes that will give proper support to your ankle. You should avoid wearing high heels as there is more chance of getting injured.
Preventing Sprained Ankle
If you want to avoid having a sprained ankle, you should take some protective measures. Follow this advice and the risk of having a sprained ankle will be reduced.
More than 25,000 people are getting affected by sprained ankle every day. If you know how to heal the sprained ankle properly, you won’t suffer much. When you have sprained ankle, you shouldn’t apply heat or message your ankle. It will increase the blood flow in the affected area and will worsen the inflammation. So, you will need more time to recover. You should avoid consuming alcohol. Proper rest will help in speedy recovery.
After you have recovered, don’t start running immediately. You should give your ankle some time to adjust. When you have sprained ankle, you should start the treatment as soon as possible. Delaying it will make the condition worse. When you run or participate in other sports, wear protective gear and the right shoes so that you don’t sprain your ankle. If the pain and swelling are severe, you should always consult a doctor. The doctor will diagnose your ankle, perform an x-ray and suggest you the treatment options. You will recover fast if you take proper rest, do the exercises suggested by the doctor and take the prescribed medicines.
