Ankle Twist Injury & Treatment Methods
An ankle twist injury, also referred to an ankle sprain takes place when someone excessively turns or twists their ankle accidentally. This affects the ligaments or tissues which envelope the leg bones in the area and joins them firmly to the foot. An injury like this can cause tearing or stretching of associated ligaments, which play a vital role in maintaining the stability of the ankle joint. It has a definite range of motion and when the limits of such motion are crossed it leads to serious sprain. The twisted or sprained ankle can lead to injuries that affect the ligaments located just on the outer part of the ankle. If you have an ankle twist injury, it is advisable to get in touch with the doctor as soon as it happens so that proper treatment can be carried out. Complete healing of the twisted ankle takes time and may even take many weeks or months.
The spraining or twisting of the ankle eventually leads to the dislocation of the ankle joint. People who are actively involved in sports or intense physical activities tend to be the group that is most vulnerable to ankle twist injuries. Such injuries can involve the tearing of one or several tissues or ligaments. The injury is usually followed by some signs of bruising and swelling. There can also be a lot of pain and intense discomfort in the affected region. In more critical cases, there can be intense damages to tendons and blood vessels. The cartilages can also experience moderate to critical injuries. Other symptoms of ankle sprain include tenderness, stiffness and discoloration of the skin surface. You may also find it difficult to walk properly once you have a twisted ankle.
A doctor will take a closer look at the injured ankle and see if there are any torn ligaments. The ankle doctor can move the affected ankle joint to see where you are feeling pain and your overall range of motion after the injury. X-rays can be carried out to see if there is any bone fracture. MRI scans help to check for ligament injuries, bone fractures as well as damaging of ankle joint surface. Treatment of a twisted ankle is mainly done at home. The doctor may recommend the usage of bandages to wrap the affected ankle. You may also be asked to wear braces and use crutches. Additionally, medications like ibuprofen can be used for managing the pain and discomfort. The most important thing to remember is that you should take complete rest so that you can recuperate quickly. While it is only a rare scenario when surgery becomes necessary for ankle twist injuries, there have been cases where it is deemed necessary. The two main forms of surgery for ankle sprain are arthroscopy and reconstruction surgery. The prognosis for ankle injury is usually positive and you can go back to your normal healthy life in a short span of time.
