Sprained ankle (also known as ankle sprain) is a common injury in daily life or exercise. Many people think of self-treatment at home when they experience a sprained ankle, but due to improper methods, they often fall into treatment misconceptions, which not only delays the condition but also leads to lingering pain, swelling, and repeated sprained ankles. The most common misconceptions in daily life are the following 5:
Misconception 1: Hot compress to reduce swelling. After spraining an ankle, due to the tearing of ligaments and soft tissues, bleeding of small blood vessels, and increased tissue fluid exudation, local pain and swelling occur and gradually worsen. Some people immediately use local hot compress to relieve pain after spraining their ankles. Although it may temporarily feel more comfortable, it actually increases bleeding and exudation, further aggravating the degree of swelling. The correct approach is to use cold compress within 24 hours. Cold compress can constrict blood vessels, reduce bleeding and edema, and hot compress can only be applied after 24 hours.
Misconception 2: Rubbing with white wine. In many places, there is a folk practice of using white wine to rub and massage the affected area, believing that white wine can promote blood circulation, reduce swelling, and relieve pain. However, this practice is actually harmful. Massage should be avoided during the acute phase of ankle sprain, and using white wine to rub immediately after spraining is especially ill-advised. This often has the opposite effect, further aggravating bleeding, swelling, and causing skin bruising, and even causing blisters from skin burns.
Misconception 3: Reluctance to use external fixation. Since most ankle sprains are inward sprains, more than 80% of sprained ankles will cause a tear or rupture of the lateral ligament, resulting in an imbalance of tension between the ligaments on both sides of the ankle. Many people think that using external fixation after spraining the ankle is troublesome and affects walking and activities, so they are reluctant to use it. In fact, external fixation after spraining the ankle helps reduce swelling, relieve pain, and promote the recovery of soft tissue injuries.
Misconception 4: Delaying medical treatment. Some people think that sprained ankle is a minor problem and does not require a visit to the hospital, so they take it lightly and delay treatment, which may pose hidden risks to the recovery of ankle joint function. Those who experience pain and swelling in the ankle after spraining should immediately go to the orthopedic department of the hospital for examination. X-rays should be taken to rule out ankle fractures. If it is a ligament injury, appropriate fixation should be given, such as using elastic bandages, splints, braces, or polymer gypsum fixation. If a fracture is found during the examination, further internal or external fixation may be needed depending on the situation.
Misconception 5: Not paying attention to rest. Some people do not rest after an injury, thinking that whether they rest or not after a fracture is not important. There is a saying that "it takes a hundred days to heal bones and tendons", although it cannot be generalized, it is not without reason. Rest is one of the links in the recovery of ankle ligaments. Those with mild sprained ankles should try to walk less; those with severe sprained ankles should not walk on the ground and should elevate the injured foot. Continuing to walk excessively is not conducive to the reduction of swelling and the repair of ligaments. It will elongate and loosen the injured lateral ligaments, resulting in poor healing. Therefore, proper rest and elevating the injured foot helps to restore normal function as soon as possible.
