What to do if you sprain your ankle

If you are not careful in your daily life, you may sprain your ankle, which will cause severe pain and bring great inconvenience to your life. If not handled properly, it may even cause sequelae. Therefore, when you sprain your ankle, you must seek timely treatment and strengthen care in daily life. Different methods of treatment can be adopted according to the specific injury. In addition, you should also pay attention to your diet and avoid exerting force during the recuperation period.

What to do if you sprain your ankle

1. Distinguish the severity of the injury

If you can stand with your weight and walk with some strength after spraining your foot, it means the sprain is mild and you can handle it yourself. If you sprain your foot and feel severe pain when moving your ankle, are unable to stand or move, and the painful area is on the bone and gradually becomes swollen, it means that you may have sprained the bone and you should go to the hospital immediately for X-ray diagnosis and treatment.

2. Use hot and cold compresses correctly

In the early stages of a sprain, small ruptured blood vessels are bleeding. At this time, cold compresses can be used to cause the blood vessels to contract and clot, thereby controlling the progression of the injury. After 24 hours, the bleeding from the ruptured blood vessels stops. At this time, hot compress can be used to promote the dissipation of blood stasis around the sprain.

48 hours after the injury, you can apply hot water or a hot towel to the affected area, or soak the injured ankle in heated vinegar (soak 2 to 3 times a day, each time for 15 minutes). Both methods can promote blood circulation in local tissues, accelerate the absorption of blood stasis and exudate by local tissues, and facilitate the repair of damaged tissues.

3. Correctly massage the sprained area

In the early stage of sprain, it is better to apply continuous pressure on the hematoma; after 24 hours, kneading should be performed, taking the swollen area as the center and rubbing in all directions around it.

4. Rational use of drugs

In the early stages of sprain, there is no need to take any oral medication, and it is not advisable to apply any blood-activating medication externally to avoid more bleeding and greater swelling. If necessary, spray some "Get Well Fast" on the injured area, which will make you feel more comfortable. After 24 hours, take some Yunnan Baiyao, Dieda Pills, and Huoxue Zhitong Powder internally, and apply Wuhudan externally. After the swelling subsides, you don't need to take any internal or external medicines.

5. Pay attention to your diet

After spraining your foot, you should pay attention to your diet and avoid spicy foods such as chili peppers and coriander. In addition, you can eat more protein foods and bone broth. Such as: beans, milk, bone broth, beef, etc.

6. Carry out appropriate activities

In the early stages of sprain, swelling and pain gradually increase. You should stop activity and elevate the affected limb. After the condition stabilizes, you can gradually increase the activities of the foot and ankle as long as it is not very painful. Appropriate restorative exercises are crucial in the later stages, which can promote blood circulation and joint repositioning to promote recovery.