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Step 1
Rest the foot as much as possible. Sit whenever you can.
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Step 2
Elevate your foot to the level of your chest. Place a pillow under your heel to prevent pressure sores.
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Step 3
Apply ice to the top of your foot and under and around your ankle - 30 minutes on and 30 minutes off - for the first 48 hours. Ice constricts blood vessels and helps to reduce swelling and pain.
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Step 4
Take aspirin or acetaminophen for pain.
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Step 5
Apply warm compresses to the foot after 48 hours. Heat dilates blood vessels and provides increased circulation to the injured body part.
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Step 6
Walk with the support of an arm, cane or crutches for the first week.
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Step 7
Wrap an elastic bandage around the foot when walking to provide additional support to your arch.
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Step 8
Look at your foot. It should be pink and rosy. Make sure it does not look gray or bluish, a sign of poor circulation. Even though your foot is sprained, you must have an adequate blood supply going to your foot.
Comments
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 For support to my foot, while healing, the normal elastic wrap wasn't supportive enough. I have a large and wide foot, plus I carry extra weight. I needed more. When I ran out of sports tape, I started using duct tape. It was better than anything I had used. You don't want it too tight where it hurts, or cuts off circulation, but you want it firm enough that your foot doesn't spread when you put pressure on it. Don't forget the arch support which will help your foot heal in the proper placement.
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 I purchased Dr. Scholls arch support inserts to aid my foot while healing. This allows me to walk with my foot straight instead of cocked, which can do other damage to my foot by the time that sprain heals.