Should i use crutches for a sprained ankle

Grade I is stretching or slight tearing of the ligament with mild tenderness, swelling, and stiffness. The ankle feels stable, and it is usually possible to walk with minimal pain. Grade II is a larger but incomplete tear with moderate pain, swelling, and bruising. The ankle sometimes feels stable, but the damaged areas are tender to the touch, and walking is painful.

Grade III is a complete tear of the affected ligament or ligaments with severe swelling and bruising. The ankle is unstable and may feel "wobbly. Symptoms People usually feel immediate pain at the site of an ankle sprain. When to Call a Doctor Call your doctor now or seek immediate medical care if: Your pain is getting worse.

Your swelling is getting worse. Your splint feels too tight or you are unable to loosen it. Who to see Your family doctor , general practitioner , a nurse practitioner , or an emergency medicine doctor can evaluate, diagnose, and treat ankle sprain.

You may be referred to a specialist, such as: An orthopedic surgeon. A sports medicine doctor. A physiotherapist for stretching and strengthening exercises.

Examinations and Tests Your doctor will ask you when and how the ankle sprain occurred and ask about any prior injuries. You may need to use crutches until walking is not painful without them. For the first 48 to 72 hours or until swelling goes down, apply an ice pack for 10 to 20 minutes every 1 to 2 hours during the day. After 48 hours, you can continue with ice or try contrast baths. There is not good scientific evidence that ice or contrast baths help, but they are often used.

An elastic compression wrap will help decrease swelling and should be worn for the first 24 to 36 hours. A protective brace should also be worn if you try to bear weight on your injured ankle. Don't apply the wrap too tightly. Loosen the bandage if it gets too tight. Signs that the bandage is too tight include numbness, tingling, increased pain, coolness, or swelling in the area below the bandage. See instructions on how to wrap an ankle with an elastic bandage. Compression wraps do not offer protection, except by reminding you to be careful of your ankle.

Raise your ankle above the level of your heart for 2 to 3 hours a day if possible to decrease swelling and bruising. Using Crutches Using a Walker.

Home Treatment Ankle sprains take an average of 6 weeks to heal but can take can up to 4 months, depending on the severity.

Range-of-motion exercises to move the joint as far as you can in every direction that it moves. You can start these exercises soon after your injury. Stretching exercises to keep your Achilles tendon heel cord flexible while your ankle heals. You can start stretching as soon as you can do so without pain.

Strengthening exercises to strengthen the muscles so they help support your ankle. Talk to your doctor or physiotherapist about the timing of strengthening exercises for the ankle. In general, you can start these exercises after you are able to stand without increased pain or swelling, as long as you do not feel pain while you do them.

Balance and control exercises to help your foot and ankle respond to activities, which can help prevent re-injury. You can usually start balance and control exercises when you are able to stand without pain. But talk to your doctor or physiotherapist about the exact timing. You should not feel pain while doing these exercises.

Also, don't try these exercises if you could not have done them easily before your injury. If you think you would have felt unsteady doing these exercises when your ankle was healthy, you are at risk of falling when you try them with an injured ankle. Sprained Ankle: Rehabilitation Exercises. Credits Current as of: March 2, Top of the page Next Section: Health Tools.

Common over-the-counter pain relievers such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and aspirin will reduce inflammation. Your doctor may recommend one of the following:. RICE is a time-honored way of healing a number of lower leg and foot injuries, including a sprained ankle [6].

Sometimes the best way to rest your leg is to stop standing and walking on it. Your doctor will tell you how long you need to stay off your ankle, and it will depend on the type and severity of your sprained ankle. The time can range, however, from several weeks to several months. Placing ice on the most painful area of the ankle while you rest will also be helpful. It can be done throughout the day to help with swelling and pain relief.

You can ice for up to 20 minutes, up to four times a day, but do not place the ice directly on your skin. Use a thin cloth between the ice and your skin to protect from ice burn. If your skin becomes red or numb, remove the ice pack, and ice for shorter periods of time. A compression wrap can help control swelling while immobilizing and supporting your injured ankle.

Applying a compression wrap, elastic bandage or Ace bandage is fairly easy and can be done at home. Both are relatively inexpensive and can be found at most drugstores. Whenever possible, elevate your sprained ankle to help prevent or limit swelling. Elevating the injured ankle above your heart keeps fluid and blood from pooling in the ankle due to gravity. The best way to elevate your sprained ankle in bed is to place several pillows under your leg, one under your knee and one under the ankle.

If your sprain improves with the RICE treatment, seeing a doctor may not be necessary. However, if you experience any of the following symptoms you should see a doctor:. Be cautious, because self-diagnosed ankle sprains can often hide a broken bone.

The injured ligament may feel tender, and the doctor may need to move your ankle into a variety of positions to determine which ligament has been hurt or torn. The healing process for a sprained ankle takes four to six weeks. Surgery is rarely required, which is great news!

Even a complete ligament tear can heal without surgery if it is immobilized appropriately and treated properly. Rehabilitation is also an important part of healing from a sprained ankle. Ankle stretches and ankle-strengthening exercises can significantly improve your success and help you get back to normal activities [7]. You will go through three phases of healing as you recover from a sprained ankle:.

Once the ankle is pain free you can start doing strengthening exercises followed by getting back into activities like tennis, basketball or football. The recovery phases can collectively take weeks to months depending on the severity of your sprain. People who sprain their ankles have increased risk of incurring the injury again, so make sure you fully rehabilitate your sprained ankle before resuming regular activities.

The final phase of recovery from an ankle sprain is working on balance. Having good balance and proprioception will help keep you from suffering future ankle sprains. Depending on the grade of your injury, you may be given a removable plastic device such as a walking boot or air splint to wear while you recover. The amount and length of time of treatment will depend on the grade of your sprain and your state of health.

Ankle sprains are common problems, but they do heal. However, depending on the grade of your sprain, you may not be able to return to normal activities right away.

Your doctor can provide a time frame for your situation. Once you return to regular activities, you still may need to wear an ankle brace or bandage for support and protection. Your doctor or physical therapist may provide a list of ankle exercises for you to do. This will help strengthen your muscles. He or she will tell you when to start the exercises and how long to do them.

Depending on the severity of the sprain, you may need to do them for several weeks. This will help prevent future sprains. This article was contributed by: familydoctor. This information provides a general overview and may not apply to everyone.

Talk to your family doctor to find out if this information applies to you and to get more information on this subject. Common sports injuries sideline many people each year, especially young athletes as they begin to compete at younger ages. Stretching is one of the best ways to keep your muscles healthy.

Stretching regularly will maintain muscle strength and…. Visit The Symptom Checker. Read More. Knee Bracing: What Works? Teenagers: How to Stay Healthy. Home Diseases and Conditions Ankle Sprains. Table of Contents. Running: Preventing Overuse Injuries. Common Sports Injuries. What is an ankle sprain? Crutches can be used for a foot injury, ankle injury, and knee injuries when you need to remove weight from the injury.

Crutches can also be used to take all the weight off of an injured leg as well. There are two different ways you can walk with crutches.

If your foot is injured and you have difficulties walking then crutches can be used when you hurt your foot. Be sure to consult with your doctor on any injury and speak to them about using crutches as a means to gain mobility back until you heal enough to walk on your own.

Crutches can be purchased in many different places. Crutches are also one of the most inexpensive types of mobility aids in terms of price. Remember to purchase crutches that fit you. Almost all crutches can be adjusted and they should be the correct size when using them or you can cause more damage to yourself.

If you have injured your ankle and cannot properly walk because of pain then you may need to visit your doctor to confirm how bad your injury is and if you need crutches to help you walk again until you heal. Ankle injures can take anywhere from a few weeks or more depending on how severe the injury is. If you can spend time off your feet it will promote healing quicker, but when you cannot crutches may be needed. Crutches are one of the cost-effective ways to help with mobility and can be purchased relatively cheaply online and at big retail locations.

Adam Smith is the main researcher and contributor at Mobility Medical Supply. Adam has many years of research in public data, and software security. With Mobility issues within Adam's family, he decided to dedicate in-depth guides on mobility products to anyone looking to improve movement and gain independence.