Top 7 Ankle Sprain Symptoms

Ankle sprains are common injuries suffered by people from all walks of life. There are times when the initial pain may convince you that you have fractured or dislocated a bone because the pain can be agonizingly severe. The good news is that if you know how to heal an ankle, you will be back in good form before long. However, the first thing one should know is how to identify an ankle sprain. Here is a brief description of the 7 most common symptoms of ankle sprains.

1.     Trauma

The first thing the patient will notice is the spraining itself. The foot may get twisted, and the body may exert excessive pressure on the outer side of the ankle. A sharp pain may be felt and this may be accompanied by a popping sound. The imbalance may lead to a full body fall.

2.     Pain

The most obvious and persistent symptom of all, and most annoying, is the pain. From the moment you sprain your ankle, you will feel a sharp pain that may threaten to bring tears to the eyes of even the most hardened grown man. The pain is likely to persist in varying degrees for a few days, or even weeks and months, depending on your recovery time and how you handle the injury.

3.     Swelling

Quite often, a sprained ankle will result in swelling of the ankle area. Swelling is a natural part of the body’s Inflammatory Response and helps bring in immunity cells to eliminate cellular waste and debris caused by the injury.  It also brings in immunity cells responsible for repair and rebuilding of the ankle joint.

4.     Bruises

Spraining your ankle may result in some bruising around the ankle area. This is more likely if the sprain occurred while you were moving at high speeds. You can apply pain relieving ointments that may reduce the bruising and soreness around the area. Massage works great too.

5.     Tenderness

The area around your ankle is likely to be very tender to the touch after spraining. This is due to the frayed nerves and the increased fluid flow into the ankle tissue and to the bone tissues around the ankle area.

6.     Inflammation

As soon as the sprain occurs, the body will send signals that will result in increased blood flow to the ankle. This will also bring more white blood cells that aid in quick recovery. Of course, white blood cells are also responsible for inflammation. The injured tissues may also leak other fluids into the area. To counter the negative effects of such inflammation, the patient should rest with the foot up. The ankle should be raised above the waist level. This will reduce the increased blood flow to the ankle and increase the flow of blood and other fluids from the area.

7.     Redness and Warmth

Spraining your ankle will cause an increase in blood flow to the area. This will result in redness and sharp warmth in the ankle. Some massage and positioning yourself with your feet slightly raised will gradually reduce the redness and warmth.