Ankle injuries. Sprained leg: a second of pain and a week of long recovery Sprained leg hurts ankle is not swollen

There is nothing easier than twisting your ankle. This is one of the most common injuries both at home and professional or sports activities. The reason may be a banal slip on the bumps in the road or falls during ice. This type of damage is always accompanied by swelling of the injured limb, so all people need to know what to do if they twist their leg and the ankle is swollen.

To avoid serious complications, you need to know distinctive features different types foot injuries in order to provide first aid in time, pick up proper treatment and get back on track faster.

What injuries lead to swelling

You can injure the leg at the ankle during active sports activities, when slipping or careless walking. Understanding the principle of the development of an ankle injury, you can take the necessary measures in a timely manner and prevent a serious development of events.

An injury occurs when the ankle ligaments are loaded with a mass that is 6 times the weight. human body. Both an adult and a child can injure a leg in this way, but if in children this is provoked by bruises and serious injuries, then adults are more often diagnosed with injuries due to pathologies of the ankle itself.

The risk group includes people with arthritis, arthrosis, osteoporosis and those who have previously injured their leg in this area.

The ankle may swell due to various kinds injuries, most often this symptom is characteristic of such injuries:

Symptoms depending on the cause

Consider all the manifestations that may accompany ankle injuries, depending on the cause that provoked them.

Stretching, tearing and tearing

When the muscle fibers are stretched, the symptoms will differ depending on the severity of the damage.

With a sprain of the first degree, the symptoms are mild. The victim can lean on the leg, but while walking it will hurt, which causes a slight lameness.

The injured joint becomes inflamed, and a small bruise may appear at the site of the injury.

The second and third degree of stretching are characterized the following symptoms:

• , extends not only to the ankle, but to the entire foot. Puffiness subsides for at least a week, and a bruise remains in its place;
• sharp pain that lasts for at least an hour and then dulls a little. When turning the leg with swelling of the ankle, the patient moves with difficulty;
• bruising occurs when several ligaments are injured at the same time. The first few days bruises cover the entire outside Feet. Gradually recovering motor function, and the hematoma changes its color.

If the ligaments are torn or torn, the symptoms will also vary depending on the severity of the injury:

• 1st - the ligaments are torn, while there is moderate pain in the leg, it may swell a little. Motor activity is not disturbed;
• 2nd - torn ligaments limit motor activity. Edema passes to the lower leg and the entire foot;
• 3rd - with a complete rupture of the ligaments, the victim cannot move, feels severe pain, extensive bruising occurs, and the leg swells at the site of injury.

Dislocations and subluxations

With subluxation and dislocation, the ligaments are damaged, this provokes the following symptoms:

• pain that subsides after a while;
• crackling sound during injury;
• the foot is deformed;
• the ankle swells instantly, and a hematoma may appear;
• it is difficult for a person to rely on injured leg, the motor activity of the limb is disturbed, since the foot freezes in a forced position.

fractures

A fracture of the bones that form the ankle joint can be provoked by a sharp dislocation of the leg. It can be open and closed. Together with a fracture, torn ligaments or dislocation of the foot are often diagnosed.

An open fracture is clearly defined by laceration, from which fragments of bones are visible to the outside.

There are other symptoms of this injury:

• strong pain syndrome not only when walking, but also at rest;
• it is impossible not only to stand up, but also to lean on the injured limb;
• due to deformation of the joint, the leg has an irregular shape;
• the limb may have unnatural mobility;
• the ankle swells, hematomas occur;
• the leg may become numb;
• the foot does not bend, the fingers do not move.

Diagnostics

If the leg is twisted and swollen, to determine the type of injury and the degree of damage to the limb, you need to contact the emergency room. A traumatologist initially visually examines the injury, since this is a common type of injury, an examination will be enough for an experienced specialist to establish a diagnosis.

To confirm the results of the examination, an x-ray of the damaged leg area is prescribed, and in more severe cases, a CT scan or MRI. Using these research methods, it is possible to clearly determine the location of the injury, assess associated injuries and the condition of the ligaments. If there are multiple injuries in one joint, this type of diagnosis is simply indispensable.

All diagnostic measures should be carried out on the day of injury, after receiving the result, treatment is prescribed. It could be like drug therapy, as well as the operation.

First aid

In order to prevent the development of complications in the future, and immediately after an ankle injury to alleviate the condition of the victim, you should know how to relieve swelling and provide first aid for such injuries. There are several basic rules that should be observed before providing qualified medical assistance:

• the leg must be fixed in the position in which it was after the injury. No need to try to put the bones in place or set the joint. To immobilize the leg, you can use improvised splints from improvised means that are tightly attached to the leg to prevent additional damage;
• the victim needs to be kept calm, do not force him to walk or move his fingers. This may cause not only pain, but will further aggravate the ankle injury. Until the moment of rendering medical assistance, the victim must rest;
• ice or ice will help reduce pain and prevent swelling. cold compress. They should be applied as soon as possible immediately after injury. You need to get rid of edema as soon as possible, because it compresses the vessels, causes pain and interferes with the conduction diagnostic measures;
• it is necessary to squeeze the injured limb strongly enough; for this, the attached splint must be bandaged as tightly as possible to prevent excessive activity. If, after bandaging, the leg turned blue and swelling began to increase, you need to slightly loosen the bandage;
• the injured leg must be raised slightly above the level of the heart, for this the victim must be laid on a flat surface, and a roller or folded clothing should be placed under the limb.

It is important to provide first aid to the victim as soon as possible, this can be done by passers-by or any people to whom he turned.

Treatment

Only a doctor can say exactly how to treat an injured limb after all diagnostic measures have been carried out. In any case, the victim will be prescribed medication.

If the leg is twisted, they may prescribe drugs from several pharmacological groups:

• to relieve pain and swelling, you need to smear the bones and the rest of the foot with special ointments or gels that relieve pain, warm up or, conversely, cool the injured ankle;
• non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs help eliminate pain and generally alleviate the condition;
• chondroprotectors that will help restore injured tissues and accelerate the recovery processes in the body.

In an injured person, the injury will be acute if he sprained his leg just a few days ago. In this case, do not forget about the implementation of the following recommendations:

• for the first two days, warming compresses and ointments should not be applied to the tucked leg, because they can exacerbate the inflammatory process;
• heating ointments can be used in cases where the puffiness has not yet subsided, but the temperature index of the skin at the site of damage has returned to normal.

Duration drug treatment will depend on the extent of the damage. general condition the health of the patient, the timeliness of contacting the traumatologist and the accuracy of compliance with the prescriptions assigned to them.

In case of fractures and ruptures of ligaments, medical treatment is not enough, the victim in without fail a plaster cast is applied, which, depending on the severity of the condition, must be worn from a month to 36 days.

With complete ruptures of ligaments and complex fractures, surgical intervention followed by the application of plaster and the use of a bone traction apparatus, if necessary.

With the high skill of a traumatologist, you can do without surgery, but only if the X-ray image confirms the correct reduction of the joint and the exact location of the broken bones.

Except conservative therapy there are many unconventional ways elimination of swelling in case of damage to the ankle, but their use should be agreed with the doctor without fail.

At home

If the traumatologist does not find serious injuries like torn ligaments or fractures, then he can allow the patient to be treated at home, but in this case, you need to clearly know what to do at home with an injured limb.

Mandatory before using any folk remedies you need to consult with a specialist.

Let's list effective methods treatment of ankle injuries at home:

• warm baths. To prepare them, you will need a couple of liters of warm water, in which ½ cup of sea salt dissolves, to increase the effectiveness of treatment, you can add a couple of drops to the brine fir oil. The legs should be lowered into the water so that their swollen part is completely covered. The duration of the procedure is 10 minutes;
• to activate the process of recovery of injured tissues, as well as to relieve swelling and relieve pain, use compresses from natural ingredients that are rubbed, laid out on the fabric and tightly attached to the damaged joint.
  

  If do vodka compress, it is imperative to cover the gauze moistened with vodka with polyethylene and change it every 6 hours.

  Such a compress relieves swelling in two days. In the same way, you can make a compress based on homemade cow's milk;

• to prepare a ginger compress, you need to grate the ginger root on a fine grater, and squeeze the resulting slurry. The squeezed juice is mixed with 100 ml of warm water and heated for 5 minutes over low heat. The tissue is impregnated with the resulting solution and applied to the injured part of the limb. After each cooling of the towel, the procedure for preparing the compress must be repeated;
• to prepare a compress from black arnica, you need to take 4 tablespoons of its dried flowers and pour a liter of boiling water. In the resulting solution, the tissue is wetted and applied to the bruised area;
• you can make lotions from burdock leaves or aloe juice, they help relieve pain and reduce swelling;
• tea compress is prepared as follows: tea leaves are poured with boiling water and infused for 15 minutes. The resulting tea leaves are soaked in a towel, which is then applied to the injured ankle. The procedure lasts 10-15 minutes;
• well relieves swelling and eliminates pain cabbage compress. To prepare it, you need to wash the cabbage leaves, cut them with a knife and attach to the bruised place. A warm towel should be applied over the compress and left overnight;
• grated potatoes can be applied to the injured leg. Covering it with a towel, you need to hold the compress in this way for at least 6 hours;
• grated onion gruel perfectly eliminates swelling, which is laid out on a piece of gauze and fixed with a towel on the leg at the site of injury. You need to keep such a compress for at least 1.5 hours.

What to do is prohibited

If, in addition to short-term pain and swelling, the person who injured the leg does not feel other symptoms, then the injury may not be taken seriously.

Such carelessness can cost him dearly. In fact, any injury to the body is a shock, and in state of shock all forces are mobilized, so the victim may not pay attention to the seriousness of the whole situation, feeling only a slight stiffness in the limb.

When the first shock passes, the symptoms begin to increase, and cold compresses and homemade ointments cease to have an effect. It is highly undesirable to bring yourself to the victim to this state, since it is much more difficult to cure chronic injuries, therefore it is recommended to seek help from a specialist immediately after damage. Until the moment of providing medical assistance, in no case should you do the following:

• stand up and lean on the injured limb on their own;
• set a dislocated joint;
• write a waiver of hospitalization;
• warm the limb with compresses, apply heating pads, use strong painkillers;
• put stress on the joint.

All of these actions contribute to increased pain, and delaying the visit to the doctor can provoke the development of complications after injury.

Prevention

You can twist your leg both at home or at work, or just walking down the street or taking a morning jog. This is a very common injury, from which no one is immune, but there are several recommendations, following them, you can significantly reduce the likelihood of injury to the ankle:

• wear only comfortable shoes;
• follow the rules of staying in the gym and on the sports ground;
• use a safety rope when climbing mountains;
• wear studded shoes on hikes;
• if an increased load on the ankle joint is expected, bandage it;
• treat even the smallest and frivolous injuries in a timely manner, so that in a neglected state they do not provoke the development of complications and do not increase the likelihood of re-traumatization.

If, after twisting, the leg is swollen and sore, you should not delay the visit to the traumatologist so as not to aggravate the situation and quickly regain physical activity.

I twisted my leg, it was swollen and it hurts terribly. What to do in such a situation? Not a single person is insured from such an injury, so it is important to know the basic methods of treatment and the features of providing first aid. From properly rendered first aid depends on the rate of recovery of the patient, as well as the likelihood of complications in the future.

When an incorrect tucking of the leg occurs, then the greatest. For this reason, the tissues quickly swell, it is difficult to stand on the foot and swelling appears. All this suggests that the man sprained his ankle. If you look at the statistics, then every fifth patient of the emergency room goes to the doctor with such an injury.

There are times when a person, after twisting his leg, endured sharp pain and didn't go to the doctor. This does not mean that the problem solved itself. After this kind of injury, soreness appears a little later.

In order not to become a victim of such damage, it is important to know the main reasons for its occurrence:

• frequent sports loads that mostly fall on the ankle;
• constant walking in high heels;
• falling from a height onto your feet;
• overweight;
• hypodynamia;
• weakened ligaments.

No one discounts those injuries that occur during the period of ice. It is enough wrong to put your foot on the ice, as the balance is lost and the person collapses to the ground. You can earn a dislocation of the leg due to inattention. Under the foot there may be some object or a hole that a person simply does not notice. The elderly are at particular risk of injury while walking.

Associated symptoms

What to do if you sprained your leg? In such a situation, people around or loved ones should come to the rescue. The symptoms of this injury make it impossible to stand on the leg normally. The victim must understand that he definitely needs to visit a doctor, because the banal “twisted his leg” can hide, damage to nerve endings, sprain, dislocation and even a fracture bone tissue.

If a person sprained a limb, then the symptoms of this injury are manifested as follows:

1. there is a strong swelling of the ankle;
2. at the site of injury, bruising is formed with deep injuries;
3. won't step on the foot strong pain, which increases with any movement of the limb;
4. the mobility of the foot decreases if a fracture or dislocation occurs;
5. local temperature in the area of ​​injury increases;
6. the skin changes color, becomes burgundy or bluish.

The longer the victim does not receive the first medical care, the more pain increases and swelling increases.

A patient who does not go to the emergency room will say that he twisted his leg unsuccessfully, part of it is swollen, I will apply a bandage and everything will pass. This is an erroneous opinion, because behind such an injury there can be a real serious pathology. Without proper treatment, the symptoms will worsen, making the rehabilitation process worse.

What to do if you sprained your leg?

The first task is not to panic. It is important to navigate the area where the injury occurred. If this happened on the road, then you should ask for help.

The main thing is to try to get up and leave the place on the carriageway. Do not be embarrassed and ask for help from people around you.

After a person is safe, he needs to ensure peace. You can't force him to step on his bad leg. No one before the arrival of the doctor, if the limb does not move completely, should not try to set the leg. This will only aggravate the condition of the victim.

If he sprained his leg, first aid in this case should be as follows:

• fix the ankle with a tight bandage or attach a splint to the limb from improvised means (the bandage should not be too tight);
• if the pain is unbearable, then the victim must be given an anesthetic drug (, Solpadein, Tempalgin,);
• apply a cold compress to the sore spot (a frozen bottle of water, ice, food from the freezer is suitable for such purposes).

You can keep the cold for no more than 10 minutes, after which it is worth taking a break for 15-20 minutes so that the tissues have time to recover. If the limb is immobilized and the pain is very acute, then during this time you can call an ambulance.

If the paramedic suspects a fracture or rupture of the ligaments, then the victim will be hospitalized. If there is a sprain, the patient is prescribed home treatment.

When the patient twisted the ankle, and the mobility of the joint became excessive, this indicates a rupture of the ligaments. In this case, it is necessary to immobilize the limb with the help of an L-shaped splint.

If the patient was able to get to the hospital on his own, then the traumatologist sends him to instrumental examination. For such purposes, X-ray, MRI or ultrasound are suitable.

The x-ray procedure will show whether there is a displacement or fracture of the bone tissue. MRI will give complete list information about the state of soft tissues, ligaments, tendons. Ultrasound is appropriate to prescribe if you suspect

Treatment at home

Sprained her leg, swollen ankle, but the pain is tolerable? What to do? If you can’t visit a doctor, then you should apply following methods home treatment:

1. It is necessary to completely immobilize the limb. The first 2-3 days after the injury, it is better not to walk at all and not to lean on the injured limb.
2. On the first day, the damaged area must be cooled every 3 hours for 15 minutes. For such purposes, either dipped in cold water towel or ice pack. Remember, ice is best placed in dense fabric which will keep cold longer. Do not apply ice directly to the skin, because it further injures the tissues.
3. To prevent swelling from developing so quickly, the limb must be wrapped with a tight bandage or elastic bandage. Tight elastic stockings or stockings are also suitable. The compression should squeeze the leg, but not too much so that the blood flow is not disturbed.
4. At rest, the leg should be held slightly higher. hip joint. Under the ankle, you can put a pillow or a roller from a towel. This will help reduce the rate of swelling.
5. To reduce pain, it is appropriate to take non-steroidal painkillers, for which the patient has no contraindications. If there is an anesthetic ointment in the medicine cabinet, then it is applied directly to the site of injury. In the first 3-4 days, it is contraindicated to use any warming compositions.

If such methods of treatment do not help, and the condition only worsens, then you should immediately seek medical advice. medical assistance. It cannot be ruled out that the patient has torn tendons or has a fracture.

There are a couple of things that are strictly prohibited during such damage:

• The first 2-3 days it is forbidden to take hot baths or lubricate the skin with creams and ointments with a vasodilating effect.
• It is impossible to massage the painful area during the first week after the injury, because this procedure will speed up the blood supply between the tissues.
• If the injury is not deep, then the limb can be immobilized for a maximum of 2-3 days. If there is no fracture or rupture of the ligaments, then it is also impossible to lie too long. A gradual increase in the load on the limb in the ankle area will only speed up the rehabilitation process.

In order not to become the owner of complications, it is better to immediately consult a traumatologist. He will not only establish an accurate diagnosis, but also prescribe the correct treatment. In severe cases, in the presence of a fracture with fragments, surgery may be required.

When is it necessary to contact a specialist?

There are situations when a visit to the emergency room is simply inevitable. Getting medical advice is vital if:

1. The man sprained his knee, and it is rapidly swelling.
2. The joint has lost its stability, is excessively mobile, or has new sensations around it during movement.
3. There is marked bone deformity.
4. One limb is shorter than the other.
5. On the 2nd day after the injury, severe pain persists on palpation of the diseased area.
6. On the 4-5th day, stepping on the foot is still difficult and very painful.
7. The victim does not feel part of the limb. This is a signal that the nerve endings were damaged during the injury.
8. Swelling, pain and hematoma increase with each passing hour.

What to do when you twist your leg? How to treat? You can't wait to see a doctor. It is better to immediately go to the emergency room so that the doctor examines the victim. Self-treatment in this case is not always justified, since a fracture may be hidden in the tissues.

A qualified doctor will begin the diagnosis by examining the diseased limb. He will try to determine the type of injury. To do this, he not only palpates the damaged area, but also asks about the nature of the patient's symptoms. Next, the patient is sent for an instrumental examination.

After receiving the information, the doctor proceeds to treatment. If there is a rupture of the ligaments and a fracture, then you can not do without plaster cast. It is applied after the doctor has set or folded the joint, in case of a fracture or dislocation. In complex injuries often resort to the services of a surgeon.

As a conservative therapy, the doctor prescribes painkillers, calcium and (drugs improve the elasticity of the connective tissue).

If a sprain is diagnosed, then it is enough to apply a tight bandage and prescribe further home treatment.

After the main stage of treatment, the doctor prescribes rehabilitation procedures. To accelerate tissue healing and full recovery limb work, preference is given to the procedure of UHF, microwave and magnetotherapy.

Possible consequences

Sprained leg, how to quickly cure? Forget about the injury, if there was no correct and timely treatment, fail. Under the concept of "twisted ankle" or "twisted leg" hides up to a dozen injuries, and each carries a health hazard. Such damage often ends with a rupture of the ligaments and.

IN difficult situations synovial fluid accumulates in the joint, which fills the resulting void. Over time, it begins to multiply pathogenic microorganisms which lead to the formation of pus. Without medical treatment pus enters the general bloodstream, which ends very badly. Such consequences are diagnosed as a result of a neglected fracture or dislocation.

Prevention

If I knew where you would fall, then you would lay straws. Ankle injuries occur not only in sports, but also in everyday life. Unfortunate enough to stand on your foot, fall or jump, as you feel a terrible pain in your leg.

To avoid becoming a victim of an ankle injury, it is enough to follow the following recommendations:

1. Wear orthopedic shoes on an average heel up to 4 cm.
2. Women who can't do without high heel, give preference to this kind of shoes no more than 2-3 hours a day.
3. People with flat feet should only wear orthopedic shoes.
4. Strengthen the ankle muscles with physical activity.
5. Carefully move, go down the stairs, look under your feet.
6. Older people should not give preference to shoes that are several sizes larger, they should be comfortable and stick to the foot tightly.
7. Athletes should not forget to warm up their muscles before starting a workout.

Careful movement and mindfulness can prevent ankle injury. This advice is especially true for older people and athletes.

When you twist your leg, you should not wait until the pain goes away by itself. If a person feels pain, then this is a sign that some tissues are damaged. A visit to the doctor will not take much time, and the victim will receive needed help and protect yourself from complications.

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Bruising of the ankle, or ankle, is an injury to the part of the ankle joint, which is located in the region of the tibia. When bruised, the bone remains intact, but soft tissue damage occurs. The symptomatology of such an injury is similar to the manifestations of a fracture, therefore, in this case, a diagnosis is required in a medical institution.

According to international classification diseases (ICD 10), an ankle bruise is coded S90.0. This digital cipher includes various and stops. Other possible ankle injuries include the lower extremities or without it.

The main causes of injury

Foot injuries in the ankle region occur due to:

• falls on slippery surfaces;
• when playing sports;
• as a result of walking in heels;
• hitting any heavy object that fell on the ankle area;
• falling on the leg area of ​​​​something that has a large mass.

If the limb is damaged, when it occurs below the knee, the joints of the foot are injured. In this case muscle mass the limb is damaged, but the integrity of the bone is not violated.

Manifestations

Symptoms of an ankle injury are:

• the appearance of severe pain. During the day after the injury may remain discomfort aching character;
• bruise;
• swelling of the ankle. In the most severe cases, swelling after a bruise becomes so pronounced that the bones are not visible, and the swelling extends to the entire area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe lower leg;
• numbness of the damaged area, complete or partial loss of sensation;
• hematoma formation;
• lameness;
• movement disorder. Due to severe pain, it is impossible to make any movements of the foot.

Signs of an ankle injury can vary in severity. It all depends on how strong the blow was.

If the leg is swollen and hurts in the ankle area, first aid should be given to the victim, the main purpose of which is to. The injured person must then be transported to medical institution in order to establish the degree of injury received and differentiate it from or. After the diagnosis is made, treatment is prescribed.

First aid

In case of an ankle injury, first aid must be provided to the victim. First of all, if there is open wound, the damaged area should be treated with antiseptics to prevent the penetration of infections.

Next, you need to provide the damaged lower limb complete rest, lay it as comfortably as possible. The ankle area should be wrapped with an elastic bandage or compression bandage.

In the first few hours after the bruise has occurred, cold should be applied to the ankle area. For this, ice or a towel moistened with plenty of cold water is suitable.

If the bruised ankle is very painful, the victim may take an analgesic.

It is forbidden to warm the bruised place after injury. You can use a warming agent in the form of an ointment or gel only after 2-3 days.

After the ankle is rendered, the patient must be transported to a medical facility.

Diagnosis and treatment

Ankle injury is diagnosed using the following measures:

• palpation of the ankle, calcaneus;
• x-ray examination;
• diagnostic puncture of the articular cavity, in which, after a bruise, blood and pus often begin to accumulate.

How to treat an ankle injury? There are several methods of treatment. This:

• the use of medicines. At severe bruise shown to take anti-inflammatory nonsteroidal drugs(Nimesulide, Diclofenac), vitamin complexes with the content of B vitamins, which have a beneficial effect on the state of blood vessels, decongestants;
• and removal of edema (Lioton gel, Troxevasin ointment);
• classes physical therapy, which will help restore mobility to damaged structures.

Other methods of trauma treatment - electrophoresis with medicines(analgesics, absorbable preparations), rubbing, ultrahigh-frequency therapy.

If there are extensive hematomas or there is a significant accumulation of pus, a puncture is performed, eliminating the pathological contents, and then a course of antibiotics is prescribed.

A bruise can be completely cured in a few weeks. You can run after an injury only when the ankle is fully restored.

How to treat an ankle bruise

Treatment at home can only be carried out with the permission of a trauma specialist. In most cases, self-therapy involves the use of medicines local application(ointments, tablets) and folk methods treatment.

What to do if the leg is swollen and there is severe pain after an ankle bruise? You can use the following tools:

• compresses or lotions based on onion. It is necessary to take one onion, peel, finely chop or chop with a meat grinder. The slurry must be applied to a piece of tissue and applied to the site of damage. Leave the compress on all night;
• lotions based on apple cider vinegar. Should take 500 ml natural vinegar, slightly warm in a water bath, add 2 teaspoons of ordinary salt and 3-4 drops of iodine. In the resulting composition, moisten the cloth and attach to the damaged area, put an ice cube on top. Leave for 15 minutes;
• . A cut aloe leaf, thoroughly washed beforehand, should be applied to the ankle area at the site of damage. Repeat the procedure, changing the leaf of the plant up to 10 times;
• milk compresses. It is enough to moisten a napkin in slightly warmed milk and apply to the leg. Put a layer of polyethylene on top and insulate with something warm. Leave for 7 hours.

Attention!

apply methods folk treatment should only be taken after consultation with the attending physician.

Rehabilitation

For ankle injuries, which include an ankle bruise, the duration recovery period depends on the degree of damage. On average, rehabilitation lasts 3-4 weeks.

During the recovery period, the victim must perform special exercises to restore the articular structure and motor capabilities. You can start the complex only after the doctor allows you to remove the fixing bandage (it must be worn for at least 10 days).

Even one careless movement can lead to the fact that a person twists his leg. Often, such failures lead to more serious injuries - ligament rupture, dislocations, and a stronger blow to the ankle ends with a fracture. What to do if a person sprained his leg, and after that the ankle swelled up?

Shulepin Ivan Vladimirovich, traumatologist-orthopedist, highest qualification category

The total work experience is more than 25 years. In 1994 he graduated from the Moscow Institute of Medical and Social Rehabilitation, in 1997 he completed residency in the specialty "Traumatology and Orthopedics" at the Central Research Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics. N.N. Prifova.

The ankle is complex mechanism providing foot movement. The ankle joint contains three muscle groups, the distal ends of the fibula and tibia, talus, scaphoid and calcaneus, outer and inner ankle. All elements are interconnected by a very strong, but at the same time extremely mobile ligamentous apparatus.

Statistically, about ten percent of leg injuries are ligament injuries, five percent are dislocations and subluxations; the rest are ankle fractures.

Cause of the tumor

Underturn - the most frequent treatment to a traumatologist with damage to the lower limb. The frequency of such injuries is not surprising - the ankle joint must withstand a load of six times the weight of a person's body - exactly the pressure that occurs when running or walking. Both an adult and a child can get injured - no one is immune from ankle injuries. In children it is predominantly associated with serious injury or bruising, but adults can get hurt due to pathologies of the ankle itself. Risk factors for ankle integrity are arthritis, arthrosis, osteoporosis, previously existing dislocations or fractures, etc.

The immediate cause of ankle pain and swelling is damage to parts of the ankle joint. These symptoms are typical for such injuries:

• sprain- closed injury of the articular ligaments, characterized by elongation of the ligament after injury compared to the normal size of the ligament before injury. It is characterized by a complete or partial rupture of the smallest fibers, but outwardly the ligament is preserved, although it cannot fully perform its functions;
• tear or complete rupture of the ligamentous apparatus in the ankle joint- damage to the fibrous bundle, accompanied by its partial rupture. With a complete rupture, the integrity of the entire ligament is violated;
• dislocation - a significant displacement of the articular bones with damage to the ligamentous apparatus;
• subluxation - partial displacement of the bones of the ankle with injury to the ligaments;
• fracture - the injury can be open or closed, the presence or absence of displacement of the bones in the fracture is also assessed.

Dislocation as one of the types of ankle injuries. How to recognize? How dangerous and what to do?

Signs of injury and symptoms of injury

Symptoms of ankle injury in most cases do not go unnoticed. Immediately after injury, victims experience sharp pain, it hurts to step on the very foot. Most of them after an injury, the help of outsiders is required to rise.

Ankle injuries can be either open or closed. At closed type injuries occur no less on the scale of damage.

In the event of an injury or twisted leg swelling is rapidly forming, the leg hurts, the heel can twitch, the bone protrudes. In case of violation of the integrity of small blood vessels bruising becomes noticeable, sore and swollen ankle. Victims complain about constant pain that swollen ankle. Mobility in the injured limb is limited. If the victim or victim has sprained her leg, then it is often cannot be returned to normal.

Under no circumstances should you force yourself to do something like this.

First aid consists in fixing the limb with a splint or any available means, after which a doctor's consultation and further treatment are necessary, depending on the type of injury.

Diagnosis of ankle injuries

Diagnosis is primarily a visual inspection of the damage.. Traumatologists often encounter such injuries and may already appearance determine what happened to the limb. To detail and clarify the extent of damage, X-ray, held computed or magnetic resonance imaging. These studies allow not only to clearly see the localization of damage, but also to assess concomitant injuries, the state of the ligamentous apparatus. Such a diagnosis is extremely important when receiving a multi-trauma, when there are several types of damage in one joint. Diagnosis is carried out on the same day, doctors immediately receive the results and can already begin treatment by choosing a conservative or surgical technique.

Treatment Method

Injury to the ankle requires immediate attention, since such injuries are dangerous with “old injuries”, when the signs are mild, but after a few weeks it is no longer possible to treat the injury conservatively. It is important to properly provide first aid and organize further treatment.

First aid to the victim

If the ankle is injured, it is important to provide competent assistance to the patient. First aid to the victim is as follows:

1. limb immobilization- the leg should be fixed in the position as it remained after the injury. You should not try to straighten the joint - just attach a splint or its semblance made from improvised materials to the leg and wrap it tightly so that there is no additional damage;
2. rest - no need to force the patient to move his leg, try to walk to check for a fracture. All this not only provokes pain in the victim, but can further aggravate the ankle injury. Before the arrival of doctors or the delivery of the patient to a medical institution, the limb must rest;
3. ice - great way relieve pain and avoid swelling. Ice is applied as soon as possible after injury to prevent tissue swelling from building up. Edema will cause compression of blood vessels, provoke pain, interfere with diagnosis, therefore it is necessary to get rid of it as soon as possible;
4. compression - after applying the splint, you need to bandage the leg as tightly as possible to prevent excessive mobility. If the leg is bandaged too tightly, then this will give blue fingers and an increase in edema - then it is recommended to loosen the bandage;
5. If possible the injured limb must be elevated- this will once again become the prevention of puffiness and help the patient more comfortably wait for qualified help.

First aid should be provided as soon as possible by passers-by or other people to whom the victim can turn. A doctor's consultation in such a situation is required.

What not to do with a knee injury

A lower leg injury may seem simple at first glance. Edema is only a short-term symptom, patients who have received such injuries think. The fact is that the body in a state of shock in the field of injury mobilizes its forces and indeed there are cases when patients with serious injuries calmly reach home, feeling only slight stiffness. However, the dislocation of the foot does not go away, the signs of injury intensify, and the compress, cold or ointment at home do not bring results.

Under no circumstances should this be brought about.

It is especially difficult for doctors to work with old, complicated injuries, so it is important to seek help on the day of injury.

The increase in symptoms occurs after a decrease in shock, as a protective reaction. By the evening, the leg can be very swollen and hurt so much that it cannot be stepped on. Therefore, in no case should the victim do the following:

• get up on your own, lean on the injured leg;
• try to correct the dislocation;
• refuse hospitalization;
• warm the injured leg with compresses, heating pads, use strong painkillers;
• load the joint.

Such actions will only increase the pain, and delaying the visit to the doctor can cause complications after the injury.

Trauma treatment technique

When an ankle injury occurs, the victim is taken to the traumatology department, where he will be examined by a doctor. After visual inspection and x-ray The doctor will diagnose and prescribe treatment.

Some ankle injuries can be treated conservatively.

fracture medial malleolus or torn ligaments are treated with a plaster cast for 30 to 36 days.

More serious injuries need to be treated surgically. This treatment is carried out with isolated fractures of the ankles with interposition of soft tissues, with complete ruptures of the ligamentous apparatus. Surgery is performed, after which the leg is placed in plaster, if necessary, bone traction devices are used. In some cases, it is possible to perform manual reduction of the joint and achieve right position bones, but this possibility is evaluated by the doctor after receiving an x-ray. It also helps some patients bone traction.

Prevention

Prevention of ankle injuries wearing comfortable shoes, observing the rules of staying on sports grounds, training. It is necessary to use insurance when climbing peaks, wear studded shoes on hikes, bandage the ankle in case of increased stress on the joint.

To prevent injuries, it is important to promptly and fully treat all injuries of the ankle - dislocations, sprains, fractures, since with a previous injury in the same place, the risk of a new injury increases.

Injuries to the ankle joint often occur due to the nature of this joint. When you get injured, you should not wait at home for the pain and swelling to pass.- these are the first signs of a serious pathology, therefore, a mandatory consultation with a traumatologist is necessary.

A set of exercises to strengthen the ankle joint