Ankle sprains or "rolled ankles" can happen when your joint is accidentally bent too far and the ligaments which hold the bones together are stretched or torn.
The first aid we normally recommend for acute sprains is the PEACE principle, rather than the previously used "RICE".
Read more about this in our blog here.
P - Protect
Unload the injured part and avoid activities or movements that cause excessive pain during the first few (1-3) days after injury. Crutches may help!
E - Elevate
Elevate the injured limb higher than the heart to reduce fluid pooling.
A - Avoid anti-inflammatory modalities
Anti-inflammatories and can disrupt healing in the acute phase. Blood flow and inflammation drive the healing response and anti-inflammatories in particular can reduce this. The use of ice is also questionable, it is helpful in reducing pain, however it should be used with caution as it may also disrupt the normal healing processes.
C - Compression
Compress injuries with elastic bandage or tape to help reduce excessive swelling and fluid build up, manage pain and improve circulation.
E - Education
Education is key! It’s important that you understand what is happening within your body and tissues during the healing process, and how an active approach to recovery, rather than a passive approach, can benefit. You'll need to have realistic expectations about what to expect and recovery times.
Should I go to the Emergency Department?
In some cases a trip to the ED may be warranted to make sure there isn't a fracture. Signs of a fracture or more severe injury can be:
Inability to weight bear at all.
Deformity of the bones.
Popping/snapping sound at time of injury.
Severe pain at rest or with light touch.
Bear in mind that the pain in the first 3-4 days of an acute injury can often be quite severe, this is the inflammatory process working to encourage you to protect the injury!
However if you are concerned it may be worth taking a trip to a St John’s Urgent Care (Perth, Western Australia only), for an X-Ray as it can often be a bit quicker than the ED.
Regardless of what you are told we would always recommend getting Physiotherapy input to help optimise the healing process through graded stability and strength exercise to reduce your risk of long term instability issues.
Joondalup • West Perth • Osborne Park •
Joondalup • West Perth • Osborne Park •
Your individual needs will differ and we always recommend an individual assessment to discern this.
Formotion Physio is a Physiotherapy practice based in West Perth, Joondalup & Osborne Park, Western Australia and we are available for individual appointments.