Icy sidewalks. Busy sidewalks. You’re going along at your usual brisk pace, when suddenly you’ve rolled your ankle, slipping on that treacherous, slippery ice.
It’s one of the most common injuries around and you don’t need to be athletic to do your ankle in. It can happen to anyone, especially on icy city sidewalks.
In this post, I’m sharing some easy steps to healing a rolled ankle. Sure, it hurts. But if you manage the injury with some easy-to-achieve self-care (and perhaps coming to see me), your ankle will be feeling ready for action in no time flat. Let’s read about it!
Double Checking
If you’ve rolled your ankle it’s going to hurt. You’ve probably sprained it, so inflammation and swelling are to be expected. But all may not be as it seems, so it’s always a good course of action to check in with your primary care giver to ensure you haven’t done something more serious than a sprain.
RICE
Rest, ice, compress and elevate is the right formula for a rolled ankle. Here are the steps you should follow:
- Rest your injured ankle. Part of resting it is to use a mobility aid like a cane of a pair of crutches, if necessary.
- Use ice every 2 to 3 hours for the first 2 days, applying it for 20 – 30 minutes each time. Protect your skin by wrapping the ice in a towel.
- Lightly wrap the rolled ankle. Don’t pull the bandage tight. Use a tensor bandage or ankle brace.
- When seated, elevate the injured ankle for the first 2 days. It should be higher than your heart for this to work.
How to Wrap Your Ankle
If you’ve opted for a tensor bandage to wrap your ankle with and you’re new to doing that, follow these instructions:
- Place a little of the bandage under your toes.
- Wrap it spirally, moving upwards. Each layer should be a little narrower than the last by about half.
- Keep wrapping upward, until it’s all covered to just a few inches above the point of injury.
If Pain and Swelling Continue
If you’ve done all the foregoing and you’re still “ouchy”, anti-inflammatories may help. But those can be harmful, if their usage isn’t controlled. So, your best course of action is to come to Back & Body Medical and talk to me. I’m a chiropractor, highly trained in the nervous system’s relationship to the spine and how that can affect joints.
But I don’t work alone. I practice in a unique facility staffed by clinicians from 3 other disciplines: physical therapy, sports medicine and acupuncture. We put our heads together to create personalized plans of therapy that address your specific injury in a patient-centered setting.
The Multi-Disciplinarian Approach
At Back & Body Medical New York, our methodology is multi-disciplinarian. This approach has won us awards because it works.
If you’ve been skating on the sidewalks of New York and your ankle’s been rolled as a result of your icy adventures, contact us. Our team is here to help.
