Ankle sprains can be classified into three grades. These determine the extent of the injury and can range from a strain or small ligament tear (first degree injury) to a complete tear of more than one ligament (third degree injury). Depending on the severity of the sprain, Traumatology specialists will opt for one treatment or another, with the aim of achieving a good recovery. If they are first and second degree sprains, conservative treatment may be chosen.
How do ankle sprains usually occur?
The most common ankle sprain occurs when the foot rolls inward and the ligaments on the outside of the ankle are overstretched. It is a common sprain in sports that involve running, jumping or quick changes of direction, such as soccer or basketball. However, it is a sprain that can also occur in our day-to-day lives, walking down stairs or even walking or running on an uneven surface.
When the sprain is of first degree the injury is minor, affecting less than half of the ligament tissue. In these cases the patient usually suffers a small hematoma on the side of the ankle. On the other hand, when the ankle sprain goes to grade two, it is a slightly more serious injury, but the ligaments are not completely ruptured. There will be a larger hematoma than in first-degree sprains.
What should conservative ankle treatment be like?
If an ankle sprain is not treated well and the patient resumes some activities too soon after the sprain, it can lead to complications such as chronic ankle pain or chronic instability of the joint.
Conservative treatment of ankle sprains seeks to reduce the pain suffered by the patient and to get the joint working again. The fundamental points of all conservative treatment are: to rest, to apply ice and to immobilize the ankle. The time that the ankle must be immobilized depends on the degree of the injury and of each patient, since it is not the same a patient that suffers a first sprain that another one that has suffered several.
When this first phase passes the patient must attend physiotherapy sessions. It will consist of rehabilitation sessions where progressive load will be added to the joint, as well as active and passive mobilization of the ankle, strengthening exercises and proprioception. This last concept is defined as the brain’s ability to know the exact position of all parts of the body at all times. Proprioception exercises, therefore, help regulate balance, coordinate movements and maintain the brain’s level of alertness. This is also an ideal way to avoid injury, prevent relapse and help recover from the injury, which is very important to treat it conservatively.