What to do if you twisted your leg

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Important rules and prohibitions that will help you get back on line faster.

First, let's define the terms. In medicine, there is no concept of "twisted leg", but there is "ankle injury".

Further rehabilitation depends on what kind of damage the joint and surrounding tissues have received. Therefore, it is important to understand what exactly you got sick after the awkward step.

What hurts when I twisted my leg

The ankle joint is one of the most vulnerable mechanisms in the human body. As the name implies, it connects the bones of the lower leg and foot. The bones, in turn, are fixed with elastic ligaments.

The problem is that the ankle has conflicting functions. On the one hand, in order for us to walk and run, it must provide high mobility of the foot. Therefore, the ankle consists of a heap of medium-sized bones that form a complex and rather fragile system.

On the other hand, the ankle carries the weight of the whole body. And when we walk or run, this load only increases. Ligaments help cushion pressure. Often - at the cost of their own integrity.

So, you twisted your leg - inadvertently put your foot on the edge and loaded it with your own weight. Depending on how strong this load was, it can happen:

1. Sprain … The ligaments withstood the load and saved the ankle from destruction, but micro tears formed in the tissue. And they won't hurt very much until they heal.
2. Ligament tear or rupture … The ligaments could not stand, their tissue was torn, but the bones remained intact. As a rule, such an injury is accompanied by a click, and the pain is more severe than when stretching.
3. Dislocation or fracture of the ankle … The ligaments, even when they were torn (however, a rupture is not necessary), could not save the bones. The ankle joint has shifted, and some of the bones may have been broken. This injury is accompanied by a characteristic crunch and other fracture symptoms. The pain is so severe that it is impossible to stand on the injured leg.

When you urgently need to see a doctor

As it is already clear, the consequences of an injury can be very different - from mild to quite serious. Contact Sprain: First aid at the emergency room or surgeon as soon as possible if:

1. You cannot stand on your injured leg.
2. The joint "walks", there is a feeling of instability.
3. You feel severe numbness or tingling in the ankle that does not go away even after a few hours.
4. Severe pain does not go away for an hour or longer.
5. The site of injury continues to hurt a day after the injury, while severe edema and hematomas are visible.
6. The skin at the site of injury turned red and became hot to the touch. This may indicate an infection.
7. The ankle has already suffered from dislocations, fractures or severe sprains, and now you are seeing similar symptoms.

Don't waste time. If we are talking about a fracture or dislocation, delay can lead to the fact that your ankle will lose stability for a long time, and you will acquire chronic pain.

What to do if you twisted your leg

But if you are lucky and there are no frightening symptoms, most likely, we are talking only about a sprain. This condition does not need any specific treatment and, as a rule, goes away by itself.

To speed up recovery, doctors advise using the so-called RICE therapy.

1. R - Rest - rest. Rest your injured leg. For the first day or two after the injury, try to walk less, and ideally lie at home at all.
2. I - Ice - ice. To relieve pain and swelling, apply something cold to the affected joint. This can be a bag of ice or frozen vegetables wrapped in a thin towel, or a heating pad filled with ice water.
3. C - Compress - compression. Wear something tight over your leg, such as compression socks, or a tight bandage around the joint. This will help relieve swelling. Just make sure that the blood flow is not disturbed.
4. E - Elevate - rise. Immediately after the injury, try to lie on your back for at least half an hour (better - more), lifting the injured foot above the level of the heart. To do this, place a pillow under the heel. This procedure will also help relieve swelling and speed up recovery.

To relieve pain, take ibuprofen, paracetamol, or aspirin.

What not to do if you twist your leg

For faster ligament recovery, remember a few "not" Foot Sprain: Care Instructions:

1. Do not exercise that puts stress on your ankle while your leg hurts.
2. Do not take warm baths and do not try to "cure" the ankle with hot compresses or going to the bath in the first 2-3 days after the injury. Fever can increase the swelling.
3. Do not massage your ankle for the first 2-3 days after injury. There is a risk of bruising yourself and provoking inflammation.
4. Don't get stuck. If the leg is even shown to be at rest during the first 1-2 days after the injury, then it is necessary to start moving again (of course, not in the case of dislocation and fracture). By gently and gradually increasing the stress on the joint, you will speed up its recovery.