Sprained Ankle? Your Chiropractor Can Help

An ankle sprain is painful, and it can be very inconvenient. It means that your spine, hip, legs, abdomen and shoulder/neck can become stressed when you are doing everything to avoid the pain of the already injured ankle. In short, take your time and make sure you rest your ankle and follow your care plan.

If you have sprained your ankle, we will ensure you are well equipped with all of the tools you will need to ensure you are safe and educated. Other than this, we will test which grade the sprain is, and move forward with treatment options accordingly.

There are three grades of ankle sprains, each classification will help you to understand the nature of your injury and what the best treatment options will be.

What do the Three Grades Mean?

An ankle sprain is an injury that involves ligaments that are stretched or torn. With your ankle, this can happen to the interior of the joint, or the exterior of the joint. It could be an inversion sprain or an eversion sprain, either way, the discomfort and urgency to allow your ankle to heal without further stress or injury is important.

Grade 1:

This is where the ligaments have not been torn, but have stretched further than they should have. Symptoms can be discomfort when jogging, jumping and sometimes even when you are walking. It may feel stiff, unstable, and there could be some mild swelling.

Grade 2:

This is the most common type of sprain we see. The ligament is partially torn, which can be quite uncomfortable. A grade 2 sprain can be moderately painful when walking, and there is likely some moderate swelling and bruising.

Grade 3:

This is the most severe, and it involves a full tear of the ligament. The pain is severe, even when not standing on it and there will be obvious swelling/bruising. The level of pain makes it very difficult to use. 

What’s Next?

Your ankle plays a vital role in your mobility, and no one understands this better than a Chiropractor. To speed up the recovery process and ensure you aren’t doing further damage, we will develop an individualized treatment plan to not only help with healing, but to move forward with a prevention plan. This plan will include adjustments, light stretches and strengthening exercises.

Ultimately, a sprained ankle during any time of the year is a huge, painful inconvenience. A sprained ankle when there are other variables like ice and snow can be a disaster waiting to happen. Either way, we are here to help you ensure your ankles remain strong and mobile.

Things You Can Expect From Chiropractic Adjustments

People unfamiliar with chiropractic care often come to me with various questions, which is a great thing! But one of the most commonly asked is ‘what should I expect when I get an adjustment? Will it hurt?’

I have touched on this topic in previous blogs. The increased demands over the past few years for people to work from home have changed the climate of the workspace. I have seen increased shoulder tension, headaches, and restless sleep in my practice, along with people showing an increased interest in chiropractic care.

Here is a brief rundown of what you can expect from spinal adjustments.

Neck

Neck adjustments are performed by adjusting your cervical vertebrae to increase joint mobility. This is commonly done while lying comfortably on your back in a relaxed position, in case of a manual adjustment. Or you may be on your stomach with we use a mechanically assisted device. Neck adjustments are most commonly used to treat chronic headaches and tension in the neck. 

Lower Back

Although there are many ways to achieve a lower back adjustment, it is common to have the patient lie on their back. At the same time, I would rotate the hips gently so that one leg is over the other and the patient’s lower body rests on a hip. There may be some snaps or pops from your joints, but this is not painful. 

How Often Should I See The Chiropractor?

People make chiropractic adjustments a regular part of their overall general health management. Others will attend when they have an injury or pain they want to tend to. 

This decision is made considering many factors, but as a chiropractor, I pride my practice on preventative care. The only real consideration I ask my patients is to follow through with the management plans we have created. You can indeed feel better after one adjustment. Still, it is best to complete the treatment plan to prevent further injury or pain. 

Chiropractic care is a safe and effective way to maintain optimal health and reduce pain and injury, whether you consider yourself physically active or not.

 If you wonder how an adjustment can help you, please get in touch with us.