How to Treat a Minor Ankle Sprain With R.I.C.E

Minor ankle sprains create microtears in the tissues around the ankle joint, causing swelling and discoloration of the skin. Ankle sprains can occur from muscle imbalances in the foot and leg, shoes that fit poorly or simply accidents of turning the foot and ankle in an unnatural way. An ankle sprain will be painful, but if the pain is severe, it may be a broken bone. R.I.C.E. is an acronym that means rest, ice, compress and elevate. This is the traditional way of treating minor sprains and it can be done at home.

Instructions

1. Take weight off the foot immediately. Sit down and remove the shoe and sock from the injured foot.

2. Apply an ice pack to the swollen ankle. Wrap a cloth around an ice pack to protect your skin from direct contact to ice or use an instant ice pack. Apply ice for 10 minutes, remove it for 5 minutes and then reapply. Do this for the first hour, if possible.

3. Compress the ankle to create a boundary so that the swelling does not grow. Use a clean Ace bandage to wrap once around the instep and over the ankle bone and crossing over the ice pack and the top of the foot. Repeat only two or three times and secure the bandage.

4. Elevate your swollen ankle and foot at least to the level of your hip and a little higher if possible. This may mean you sit in one chair and place your foot on a pillow on a second chair. Replace the ice pack as needed to help reduce the swelling.

5. Rest. Especially for the first five days, keep icing your foot daily in the morning and at night before bed. Keep the foot elevated and lightly compressed in an Ace bandage each time.

6. Keep your ankle protected by wearing an ankle brace if your doctor recommends you wearing one. Some braces are thick elastic and others are much thinner versions that can be worn more easily inside a shoe.

7. See your doctor if the swelling does not seem to be reducing each day or if you experience any sharp pain around the ankle joint or in the foot or leg. It may take 7 to 10 days before you can fully bear weight on the foot.

8. See a physical therapist if you feel that your swollen ankle is much weaker than before the ankle sprain. She can assess your ankle and assign you physical therapy exercises to regain your strength.

Tips & Warnings

• Supination is when the ankle bone rolls outwards. Pronation occurs when the ankle rolls inwards. A podiatrist can provide you with expert advice on how to prevent both so that you do not develop chronically weak ankles.

• If you experience sharp, shooting pain or are simply not able to bear weight on your ankle, go to an emergency room to rule out hairline fractures in the bone.