How to Treat Ankle Pain from Strains and Sprains

Ankle sprains and strains can be very painful. A few easy steps will help ease your pain and get you on the road to recovery.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• ice pack
• pillow
• aleve
• brace

1. Sit down! Take your weight off the injured ankle as soon as possible. The longer you walk on it without treatment, the worse it will get.

2. Prop your ankle up on a pillow. The elevation will help blood flow and keep the swelling down.

3. Take some Aleve or ibuprofen. This will help manage pain, reduce inflammation and also keep the swelling down.

4. Use your icepack, in cycles of 20 minutes on, 20 minutes off for the first hour or to. This will reduce pain, inflammation, stop swelling, and keep the bruising to a minimum.

5. Continue to use your ice pack for 20 minutes every hour for the first 24 hours.

6. 
    

   When you need to walk use an ankle brace. I recommend getting one specifically made for ankles, and not using an ace bandage. Ace bandages can be difficult to use properly, and if put on wrong can cause more damage to an injured ankle.

7. See your doctor if there is major bruising, swelling or severe pain. This could mean you have a fracture.

[NatalieJ]

on 8/14/2009 This is very helpful information. 5*

[deepthinkin]

on 8/10/2009 Keeping off the injured ankle is what most people fail to do. I think it has something to with the "walk it off" mentality. Your advice is spot on. Thanks!

[Marilynda]

on 8/10/2009 Good advice for treating ankle pain from strains and sprains 5*

[bailey4]

on 8/10/2009 Good advice for How to Treat Ankle Pain from Strains and Sprains. 5*

[lighthouse1958]

on 8/9/2009 Once I fell and broke my little toe on one foot and sprain the other foot. I hurt so bad. I wish I had all this info back then. 5*