Ouch-What do I do about my twisted ankle?

Every week, I run into friends or patients around town who say they twisted their ankle and want to know what to do. Often, there is pain and swelling with an injured ankle. Plus, it may be hard to walk! The ankle is a complex structure made up of three bones: tibia, fibula, and talus. Additionally, there are numerous tendons, ligaments, and other soft tissue structures that hold it together and help it to function. In the office, after examining the ankle, we occasionally do x-rays to make sure the bones are not broken. The one problem with ankle injuries is that the soft tissue structures may be injured and do not show up on x-ray. Sometimes, additional testing with an MRI is necessary to determine the extent of the soft tissue injury. Frequently, the ligaments on the outside of the ankle are the ones injured with an ankle sprain or injury. There are a variety of ways to treat ankle injuries and often depend on the severity of the injury: walking boots, casts, strapping or taping, injections, medications, physical therapy, rest, ice, and on occasion, surgery. So, what should you do on your own if you injure your ankle? It is important to begin RICE. Rest. Ice. Compression (an ace bandage or something similar). Elevation. Other things that may help include anti-inflammatory medicine like motrin and supportive shoes or boots if you must walk. Barefoot walking, house shoes, and flip flops are discouraged when the ankle is injured due to the lack of support. Sore ankle? Give us a call, 708-763-0580, or schedule on zocdoc.com for added convenience.