Written by Dr. Aisha Harris
Have you ever stepped off a step and twisted your ankle? Have you ever moved too quickly and landed oddly on your foot? Have you ever jumped or fallen from a high place and messed up your ankle? We all have had some sort of joint pain in our past. Some will go away with ease, while others will take a little more time and care to recover.
Ankle sprains are some of the most common joint complaints in medical care. Usually the trauma is known or quickly recalled once the ankle starts to hurt suddenly.
Rolling the ankle, or making the foot turn too much in any direction while bearing weight, can happen to anyone. And with too much stress or pressure, the movement can strain the muscles and tendons in the ankle and foot.
The initial treatment for ankle strain should include RICE, which stands for rest, ice, compression and elevation. These things will help treat most forms of ankle sprain and will help with the recovery process.
Some people may benefit from full evaluation from a medical doctor that includes medication and imaging, but many people will recover well without intervention.
People who may need further or more evaluation include those who have difficulty walking, those over 50 years old, those with lingering ankle pain and those with a concern for a fracture. If there is concern that the ankle pain may be more than a sprain, then an X-ray will be beneficial to evaluate the ankle and risk of fracture.
Not all pains will be fractures, and not all fractures will show up on the first X-ray. So, monitoring your symptoms is important, and getting checked out by a medical doctor regularly can help with your recovery.
Stretches and exercises at home will aid in regaining mobility and strengthen the muscles and tendons, but sometimes people will need physical therapy.
Talking to your doctor about your foot pain can help get you on the road to recovery sooner, rather than later. The feet support all of your weight on a daily basis. So, having difficulty supporting yourself or walking around can impair your daily function and quality of life.
Getting your ankle to heal the best the first time around will help with prevent future discomforts and pains.
If you have had a trauma to your ankle or having lingering discomfort in your ankle it is recommend you see your medical doctor to discuss next steps in your care.
Written by Dr. Aisha Harris, MD.
Dr. Harris is a Flint native and board-certified family medicine doctor at Harris Family Health in Flint, Michigan. Harris Family Health is a membership-based clinic that provides personalized and full primary care to adults and children. Learn more about Harris Family Health by visiting www.harrisfamilyhealth.com.
Feel free to submit health questions to Dr. Harris via theflintcouriernews@gmail.com.
