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Fitness Injuries

Treatment of the Common Ankle Sprain

You're making like Dr. J, driving hard to the basket, when all of a sudden, you zig when you should have zagged. Your ankle rolls under you like a possum playing dead. The game stops, but you bravely shrug off the pain and continue on. Later that day, you take off your shoe and find your ankle extremely angry. It is red, swollen, warm, and in no mood to do any work, such as supporting your body weight. You are definitely on the "DL" for tomorrow's game, but what about next week? What about that mountain hike you promised you’d go on in three weeks? Don't fret. By following a few simple rules, and being patient and smart, you can return to your previous form faster than you think. 

Generally, sprains are graded I, II and III (III is the worst kind of sprain). Since the majority of ankle sprains are grades I and II, only those will be discussed here.

A grade I, or mild, sprain is characterized by some tearing or stretching of fibers of the ligament (a tough band of connective tissue). The fibers have not been extended too far so there is no looseness in the ligament. Also there is minimal internal hemorrhaging (bleeding) and no residual instability or unsteadiness in the ankle when it is healed. Grade I sprains require, on the average, about 12 days to heal. A grade II, or moderate sprain is a full tear of the ligament with mild instability. Unlike a grade I, the ligaments in a grade II have been stretch beyond their limits, so there is also a slight reduction in function and strength. Grade II sprains require approximately two to six weeks before you can return to your previous slam-dunking, crossover-dribbling and shot-blocking form.

Ligaments
Ligaments are bands of tough tissue that connect bones together. The most commonly injured ligament is the anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL), located on the lateral side (or outside) of your ankle. When your foot turns inward excessively, the ATFL can be stretched beyond its normal limits, resulting in a sprain.

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