How Do You Treat And Rehab A Sprained Ankle?
How to care for a sprained ankle, from immediate treatment to easy rehab tricks you can do on your own. Immediately after spraining an ankle, one should follow the R.I.C.E. protocol which stands for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. Unless it is a minor sprain that can be “walked off,” the injured person should avoid putting weight on/using the ankle for about 48 hours depending on severity. During this time, it is beneficial to wrap the ankle in an ACE bandage or some other compresive sleeve, elevate when possible, and ice the ankle consistently. (While there is no magic number, 20 minutes per hour is a good amount) R.I.C.E. helps reduce the swelling and will lead to quicker recovery and a return to regular motion. After the 48 hours, you can begin to carefully test your ankle. Using pain as your guide, gentle exercises can move the fluid buildup in the joint and allow the damaged ligaments and muscles surrounding the ankle to move more freely. Basic ankle pumps, where you altern
