Sprained Ankle Treatment in Maryland
Visit our chiropractic office in Columbia, MD for restoring strength, mobility, and balance after a sprained ankle injury
What is a Sprained Ankle
The foot “rolls” in a way that causes the anterior talofibular and/or calcaneofibular ligaments ligaments (on the outer portion of the ankle) to stretch and tear.
Depending on the amount of damage, you may be able to walk with slight discomfort or not be able to place weight on the ankle at all.
Fun fact: 23,000 people sprain their ankle daily
Sprained Ankle Treatment
- How we handle Sprained Ankle Treatment
- The most important time is the first few days after the injury: the goal must be to restore balance, endurance, strength and flexibility to the injured ligaments
- Adding an elastic bandage to the ankle can cut the recovery by half
- Strength and light movement until pain is felt should be first, than add flexibility and coordinate/endurance
- Too many clinics add stretching to an already stretched area at the beginning of rehabilitation: the focus should be strengthening then moving to flexibility
What To Do After You Sprain Your Ankle
Spraining your ankle is unfortunately a common occurrence — it’s estimated 23,000 people sprain their ankle daily. What’s important is how you treat your sprained ankle immediately following the injury.
- Don’t put pressure or weight on the ankle. Many people will try to “walk it off” or continue their activity as normal. You want to immediately rest your ankle after you’ve sustained the injury.
- Apply an elastic bandage. Elastic bandages are sold at many pharmacies, drug stores, and grocery stores. Apply an elastic bandage and wrap the sprained ankle to treat it at home. Rest and elevate the ankle, using crutches if you need to to not apply weight.
- Apply ice. After you’ve compressed the ankle with a bandage, apply ice for brief periods of time to help with swelling and inflammation.
- Schedule an appointment for sprained ankle treatment. While you can care for your sprained ankle at home, the condition can turn chronic without proper strengthening exercises. Pushing too fast for mobility without strengthening the joint can lead to long-term problems. We offer sprained ankle treatment in Columbia, MD that is easy and effective.
Mistakes When Treating a Sprained Ankle at Home
Many patients seek sprained ankle treatments after they’ve had no luck treating the ankle at home. While sprained ankles are common, it’s important to still seek professional sprained ankle treatments to avoid chronic conditions.
Patients will often work on flexibility and mobility after a sprained ankle injury, which causes more pain and can set-back healing. Sprained ankles need to be strengthened before you can get full dexterity back.
Athletes who sustain sprained ankles may also attempt to return to normal activities sooner than they are capable. Pushing through the pain can further strain the injury.
Resting too much after the injury is also a problem — we don’t mean apply pressure, but the first few days are important to strengthening the joint and properly wrapping it and icing it with regular frequency.
Our chiropractic team in Columbia, MD can give you a personalized treatment plan that you can implement at home to help with a sprained ankle treatment after your first appointment to assess the injury.
Sprained Ankle Treatment in Columbia, MD at Elite Chiropractic
Sprained ankle treatment in Columbia, MD is available at Elite Chiropractic and Sport. Our primary focus is on sports performance and athletes but we treat a wide variety of patients who have sustained ankle injuries and are looking for relief. We are a family chiropractic center with multiple chiropractors on staff with physical therapy treatments and holistic modalties available.
Using manual adjustments, strengthening exercises, and treatments to help restore balance and flexibility, we can help you get back on your feet after a sprained ankle. We’ll explore different exercises and adjustments that work for your injury, anatomy, and lifestyle habits for the best success possible.
Our chiropractic office in Columbia, MD is 5-star rated by local patients who have searched for similar pain relief and treatments. We are proud to be a positive, upbeat office that helps make the healing process a little less stressful.
Schedule online today for sprained ankle treatment in Columbia, MD or give our office a call with any questions. We are in-network with Blue Cross/Blue Shield, United, Johns Hopkins EHP, Aetna, and Medicare. We are out of network with Cigna.
Sprained Ankle FAQ
After an ankle sprain, you want to focus on strengthening the joint before working on flexibility and mobility. You will do this with ankle-strengthening exercises. Many know about “writing the alphabet” with their ankle. It is important to see our chiropractic office to get specific ankle strengthening exercises — this may include balance platforms, resistant bands, and more based on the severity of the injury.
It is important to not put pressure on a sprained ankle after the injury. Within the first few days, contact a chiropractic center near you like Elite Chiropractic and Sport for professional assessment and treatment of the injury. While at home, apply a compression bandage and ice in 20 minute increments to help with swelling. Buy crutches to not place more pressure on the injury until you begin treatment.
