David Crawford shares tips on how to heal a sprained ankle
According to sports medicine doctor David Crawford, sprained ankles are a common injury. They happen when your ankle rolls in our out suddenly, and the abrupt movement causes the ankle joint to move out of place. An inward roll is called an eversion sprain and affects the ligaments and tendons along the inner part of the ankle, while an outward roll is called an inversion sprain and affects the outside ankle ligaments. Your ligaments connect the bones of the ankle to the bones of the leg, and both sprains cause the ankle’s ligaments to stretch and in severe cases, tear, resulting in varying degrees of pain and swelling. If you experience extreme pain, severe swelling, your ankle takes on an odd shape, you are unable to walk more than a few steps, and experience limited range of motion, you should see a doctor as soon as possible. Mild sprains can be treated at home using the RICE method (rest, ice, compression, elevation), but it is still recommended that you see a doctor as soon ...