As an experienced Toronto foot doctor and chiropodist, we are able to treat and educate our patients at the same time. Our attitude is simple. If something is bothering you, we want to find out why. Educating our patients is just as important to us as fixing their foot issues.
An ankle sprain is an injury to the ligaments. More often than not, it affects the outside of the ankle itself. Ligaments are like rubber bands joining the bones together. In your ankle, these allow for side to side movement.
Like anything else, some ankle sprains are much worse than others. How bad one is depends on the ligaments and whether they are stretched or torn. There’s more than one of these. The severity of an ankle sprain also depends on how many ligaments are involved.
Remember there’s a difference between a strain and sprain. A strain affects the different muscles rather than the ligaments in your ankle.
Why Sprains Happen
A quick or sudden movement can jerk your ankle and cause one of these sprains. Athletes are particularly susceptible. During any kind of physical activity, you can injure your ankle when you twist it inward. Any kind jerky or quick movement can cause a tear or stretch.
Ankle sprains can happen to you at any age. If you play sports or spend a lot of time walking on uneven surfaces, you might get one of these injuries. One of the other big causes is wearing shoes that don’t fit properly.
The Symptoms
If you’ve ever had an ankle sprain, you know there’s no mistaking what it feels like. The symptoms include tenderness and swelling as well as pain and bruising. Many of our patients tell us they can’t put any weight on the ankle that’s been affected.
This skin might bruise and there is usually some stiffness.
What Needs to Be Done
When you have an ankle sprain, it’s important to come and see us. As your Toronto foot doctor, we will be able to evaluate the injury. There are many different treatment options. Here are just a few of the more common ones.
- Taking some time off the injured ankle always helps. Walking on it or playing sports can make the situation worse. That’s why we usually recommend getting some rest.
- It’s a good idea to raise your ankle just above your heart to reduce swelling.
If you’ve sprained your ankle, we’re the Toronto foot doctor who can help. If you cannot weight bear at all at time of injury or time of coming into the clinic, you may need an xray. Sometimes a foot bone fracture can happen at the time of a severe sprain. Our Podiatrist and Chiropodist are trained in knowing the signs of a fracture.
