It’s Hiking Season: When to Get Help for a Sprained Ankle
Hikers isolated by miles of woods may face a life-threatening situation due to over-exposure if they sustain a sprained ankle. The editor of Fitness Headlines tells you the difference between a mild and a severe sprain.
“Preventive care is the most effective way to avoid sprains and strains. Before engaging in any strenuous sports activity, get in shape.”
A walk in the woods could turn into disaster with a severe sprained ankle if there is no way to get to a medical facility. Hikers in isolated country may find themselves in a life-threatening situation secondary to over-exposure to weather if they lose mobility.
Here are some things you should know before setting out to enjoy mother nature.
Sprains occur when an individual stretches and/or tears a ligament, the tissue that connects two bones. The knee ligament, for example, attaches the upper and lower leg, and comes into play during any activity that requires walking.
The most prevalent part of the body to sprain is the arm or leg. For instance, a baseball player sliding into first base can sprain an arm while a jogger running on an uneven country road can sprain a leg. Any physical activity has the potential to rupture ligaments or move joints out of alignment.
Dr. Jonathan Mimeone, M., who works at James Madison University’s Health Center, says “during the winter he sees ten to one more snowboarding accidents than skiing mishaps. He contributes this “to the fact that snowboarders are younger and more aggressive and believe they can tear up the slopes and jump over moguls with impunity.” Dr. Mimeone is a general practitioner at the Harrisonburg, Virginia facility.
The problem with snowboards is that unlike skis the bindings that secure the foot to the board do not release when the rider falls. This has the tendency to cause more injuries to knee and ankle ligaments.
Sprains are further broken down into three categories: mild, moderate, and severe. In the case of a mild sprain, there will only be slight swelling at the place of injury. However, in the other two instances, swelling can be severe enough to impede normal joint movement and internal bleeding will often occur.
In contrast, strains result from a tearing and/or stretching of a muscle or tendon and are a result of lifting a heavy object or from over-using a particular muscle. For example, trying to move a couch may cause back strain, while playing basketball five days a week, for an extended period of time, may result in a strained thigh. Thankfully, strains are not as severe as sprains, but they do have a tendency to recur if not treated properly.
“If a person tears a tendon, they should be referred to an orthopedic surgeon or taken to the hospital’s emergency room. He or she could have very possibly fractured a bone as well as sprained a muscle,” says Malone.
The most effective remedy to treat sprains and strains is to follow the RICE method recommended by professional athletic trainers and emergency medical technicians.
First, Rest the muscle. Second, apply Ice several times a day for the first 48 hours after injury. Third, Compression, which requires placing athletic tape or an ace bandage on the injury. Fourth, Elevate the injured part above heart level for the first two days to reduce swelling. In addition, taking aspirin or ibuprofen will relieve muscle pain.
Sprains and strains may heal naturally if given adequate rest. However there are a number of reasons why you should go to a doctor for a sprain.
Some of the most common reasons for getting medical attention are:
1. If the joint or muscle swells up like a balloon
2. If a homemade cast has been put on the injured area
3. If you cannot move the joint
4. Or if the limb begins to darken and/or numbness sets in.
“A torn tendon will almost always require surgery,” says Malone. “After the operation the tendon must be immobilized three to four weeks followed by six weeks of physical therapy.”
Physical therapy is sometimes a painful, but a vital element of treatment. To illustrate, when a person severely injures a limb, the muscle begins to atrophy and scar tissue will develop. Progressively higher weight bearing exercises, over a period of six weeks, will allow the tendon to heal and regain strength.
Preventive care is the most effective way to avoid sprains and strains. Before engaging in any strenuous sports activity, get in shape. If the most daring sport you compete in is surfing the internet, do not think you can go out and ski all day without running a high risk of injury. Furthermore, once you reach the slopes or get to the gym, do some range of motion stretching in order to warm up, but avoid over-stretching because this may predispose you to injury.
After playing a sport or exercising, warm down slowly with similar range-of-motion stretching to avoid stiff joints and muscles, one cause of muscle tears if activity is suddenly resumed after your body has cooled down.