Treatment FAQ

what is the best treatment for a grade 3 ankle sprain

by Erin Bogan Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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What Are Some Home Remedies For A Grade 3 Ankle Sprain?

  • Rest. Limit moving the affected ankle and avoid placing weight on the joint such as in standing or walking to prevent further injury.
  • Ice. Place an ice pack over the affected ankle and a towel in between to prevent skin burn. It should only be applied for 20 minutes or less and must ...
  • Compression.
  • Elevation.

A Grade 3 sprain can be associated with permanent instability. Surgery is rarely needed. A short leg cast or a cast-brace may be used for two weeks to three weeks. Rehabilitation is used to help to decrease pain and swelling and to prevent chronic ankle problems.

Full Answer

How should one treat a Grade 3 sprained ankle?

  • Remove swelling from the ankle by improving lymphatic drainage
  • Improve the flow of the first wave of healthy immune cells to remove waste
  • Encourage a second wave of immune cells to repair and regenerate healthy tissue
  • Reduce pain VERY quickly so you can move your ankle safely
  • Dramatically improve ankle stability for safe movement

More items...

Do Grade 3 sprains require surgery?

Usually only a grade 3 sprain with a tendon rupture may need surgical repair, and even then, not many of them do. Here are a few exceptions: If the ligament joining your tibia and the talus bone is ruptured badly enough that the ankle mortise (where talus inserts between the two leg bones) is spreading apart

How to reduce recovery time for a sprained ankle?

found that immobilizing a sprained ankle with a brace for up to 10 days may help decrease swelling and pain. They also discovered that completely immobilizing an injury for more than four weeks may actually worsen symptoms and affect recovery negatively. Start with gentle strengthening exercises.

How long does it take for an ankle sprain to heal?

The amount of time it takes for an ankle sprain to heal depends on the severity of the injury. In general, it will take a minimum of 3 to 4 weeks and up to 6 months for an ankle sprain to heal. That’s why getting a proper diagnosis and treatment plan for an ankle sprain is critical.

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How long does it take to recover from a grade 3 ankle sprain?

Grade 3 injuries are more severe in nature and often involve full tearing of the ligament and possible bone fracture. The length of time to recover from grade 3 ankle sprains could be 3 months or more.

Can a grade 3 ankle sprain heal on its own?

Nearly all isolated low ankle sprains can be treated without surgery. Even a complete ligament tear (Grade 3) will heal without surgical repair if it is immobilized and rehabilitated appropriately.

How do you treat a grade 3 ankle sprain at home?

Tips to aid healingRest. Resting the ankle is key for healing, and wearing a brace can help stabilize the injured area. ... Ice. Using an ice pack may reduce blood flow to the injury and help ease pain and swelling. ... Compression. Compression helps stabilize the injured joint and may reduce swelling. ... Elevation.

How painful is a grade 3 ankle sprain?

Grade 3: This is a full tear of the ankle ligament. You may have heard a popping sound when it happened. This level of sprain causes severe pain, swelling and bruising. Because the ligament is no longer able to do its job, your ankle will feel unstable and will be unable to support any of your weight.

How do you wrap a grade 3 ankle sprain?

Start by wrapping the tape twice around the ball of your foot below the toes. Work your way up by wrapping the bandage several times around your foot and ankle in a figure-eight pattern. Keep the bandage taut. Finish by wrapping the bandage twice around your lower leg, a couple of inches above your ankle.

Is a grade 3 sprain worse than a break?

A broken ankle is a more severe injury than a sprained ankle. With a clean break that doesn't need surgery, recovery can take around 6 to 8 weeks. If you need surgery, recovery will take longer. With a minor ankle sprain, it may take around 2 weeks to heal.

Can you walk on a Grade 3 ankle sprain?

Grade 3 sprain The joint probably isn't functional because it's too unstable, and movement creates intense pain. If you have a grade 3 sprain in the ankle, for example, walking usually isn't possible. Grade 3 sprains often require a brace or cast for at least a couple of weeks.

What helps ligaments heal faster?

Balance, control, and strengthening exercises can also help your ligaments heal more quickly than they otherwise would.

What helps a sprained ankle heal faster?

TreatmentRest. Avoid activities that cause pain, swelling or discomfort.Ice. Use an ice pack or ice slush bath immediately for 15 to 20 minutes and repeat every two to three hours while you're awake. ... Compression. To help stop swelling, compress the ankle with an elastic bandage until the swelling stops. ... Elevation.

What will happen if an ankle sprain is not treated?

If an ankle sprain is left untreated, it may lead to a chronically unstable ankle joint and, from there, to degenerative and arthritic changes in the ankle, as well as chronic tendon inflammation. It may also feel as if the ankle is constantly trying to give out, which can, from there, cause a re-injury of the ankle.

Should you wrap a sprained ankle overnight?

Most experts recommend that you only wrap your ankle during the day for support and protection, while you continue to ice, elevate and rest the injury. While some people feel a sense of comfort from a compression wrap at night—unless it provides pain relief, you shouldn't have your ankle wrapped while you sleep.

When should you start rehab a sprained ankle?

Start rehab with range-of-motion exercises in the first 72 hours after your injury. Continue with further rehab, including stretching, strength training, and balance exercises, over the next several weeks to months. You can do rehab exercises at home or even at the office to strengthen your ankle.

What Are The Symptoms Of A Grade 3 Ankle Sprain?

If you have a Grade 3 ankle sprain, the following symptoms may be observed:

How Long Does It Take For A Grade 3 Ankle Sprain To Heal?

A Grade 3 or severe ankle sprain will usually heal within three to six months, but this depends on the individual’s overall health and adherence to a rehabilitation program.

What Are Some Home Remedies For A Grade 3 Ankle Sprain?

If you suspect that you have a Grade 3 ankle sprain, it is best to go to the nearest hospital or clinic immediately. A severe ankle sprain requires proper care and immediate attention.

Can You Walk With A Grade 3 Ankle Sprain?

In a Grade 3 ankle sprain, there is a complete tear of the ligaments. The ligaments are responsible for supporting and keeping your ankle stable. Without the stability they provide, the ankle will not be able to hold the weight of the body when standing and walking .

Do Grade 3 Sprains Require Surgery?

Even for severe ankle sprains, surgery is rarely prescribed. Surgery is only required for those who have persistent ankle instability and persistent pain after several months of non-surgical treatment and rehabilitation. This is usually done to repair the ligaments that have failed to heal after non-invasive treatment methods have been considered.

How long does it take to recover from a grade 3 ankle sprain?

It depends on how your injured area, and body, is responding to the treatment. However, you can expect it to take about 12 weeks before you can slowly get back to your normal routine.

What is the grade of ankle sprain?

Grade 3 Ankle Sprain: Everything You Need To Know. If you’ve hurt your ankle, after a thorough physical examination and some tests, your doctor would classify that injury into one of the three grades based on its severity: Grade 1, Grade 2, and Grade 3. Grade 3 ankle sprain is the most severe one. In this, your ligament has torn completely.

What to do when ankle is in recovery?

Your physical therapy in the second and third phases of recovery will include doing basic strength, balance, and endurance exercises whose intensity will progressively increase as your ankle heals.

What tests are done for a sprain?

The tests can include x-rays, MRI scan, and ultrasound.

What to do in the second phase of recovery?

In the second phase of recovery, once you have made some progress, you will have to focus on restoring flexibility and strength of your ankle. In the next phase, you will gradually get back to your regular activities – first the activities that do not put stress on your ankles and then anything strenuous.

Is grade 3 ankle sprain common?

While grade 3 ankle sprain is not “very common” as opposed to lesser severe grade 1 and grade 2, it can happen in certain cases. Maybe you were running or jumping on an uneven surface; maybe you tripped on something.

Which type of person is more likely to sustain a sprain?

People who are into physically intensive sports, as well as those who live a sedentary lifestyle and have poorly conditioned bones, joints, and muscles – they are more likely to sustain severe sprains.

What is the best medicine for a sprained ankle?

In most cases, over-the-counter pain relievers — such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) or naproxen sodium (Aleve, others) or acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) — are enough to manage the pain of a sprained ankle.

How to heal a sprained ankle?

approach for the first two or three days: Rest. Avoid activities that cause pain, swelling or discomfort. Ice. Use an ice pack or ice slush bath immediately for 15 to 20 minutes and repeat every two to three hours while you're awake.

How to stop swelling in ankle?

To help stop swelling, compress the ankle with an elastic bandage until the swelling stops. Don't hinder circulation by wrapping too tightly. Begin wrapping at the end farthest from your heart. Elevation. To reduce swelling, elevate your ankle above the level of your heart, especially at night.

What to do if you have a sprain in your back?

Schedule an appointment or get emergency medical care for suspected sprains that don't respond to self-care strategies or that cause continued pain or instability. If your sprain is severe, you may be referred to a doctor who specializes in sports medicine or orthopedic surgery.

What to do if you sprained your ankle while exercising?

If you sprained your ankle while exercising or participating in a sport, talk to your doctor about when you can resume your activity. Your doctor or physical therapist may want you to perform particular activity and movement tests to determine how well your ankle functions for the sports you play.

How to restore ankle range of motion?

Therapy. Once the swelling and pain is lessened enough to resume movement, your doctor will ask you to begin a series of exercises to restore your ankle's range of motion, strength, flexibility and stability. Your doctor or a physical therapist will explain the appropriate method and progression of exercises.

What is the best test to rule out a broken ankle?

If the injury is severe, your doctor may recommend one or more of the following imaging scans to rule out a broken bone or to evaluate in more detail the extent of ligament damage: X-ray. During an X-ray, a small amount of radiation passes through your body to produce images of the bones of the ankle. This test is good for ruling out bone fractures.

Anatomy of an ankle sprain

The most common type of ankle sprain is an inversion injury, or lateral ankle sprain. The foot rolls inward, damaging the ligaments of the outer ankle — the anterior talofibular ligament, the calcaneofibular ligament, and the posterior talofibular ligament. (Ligaments are bands of fibrous tissue that connect bone to bone; see illustration.)

When to see your doctor

Unless your symptoms are mild or improving soon after the injury, contact your clinician. He or she may want to see you immediately if your pain and swelling are severe, or if the ankle feels numb or won't bear weight.

How to strengthen your ankle after a sprain

To recover from an ankle sprain fully, you'll need to restore the normal range of motion to your ankle joint and strengthen its ligaments and supporting muscles.

How to heal a sprained ankle?

To help your sprained ankle heal, you’ll need to ease the pain and bring down the swelling. Make an appointment right away for any ankle sprain, mild or severe. Your doctor will examine you and let you know if something more serious is wrong with your ankle.

What to do if your ankle is swollen and painful?

If your ankle is painful and swollen, remove ankle bracelets or toe rings right away. Then try the “RICE” method to ease your symptoms. RICE stands for “rest, ice, compress, and elevate.” Here’s how it works:

How to tell if you have a dislocated ankle?

Go to the emergency room if you have any of the following symptoms: Severe pain, bruising, or severe swelling. Bleeding, numbness, or change in color of the affected area. Your ankle looks deformed or seems dislocated. You can't put any weight on it.

What is grade 3 ankle sprain?

A Grade 3 (severe) sprain puts you at risk for permanent ankle looseness (instability). On rare occasions, surgery may be needed to repair the damage, especially in competitive athletes. For severe ankle sprains, your doctor may also consider treating you with a short leg cast for 2-3 weeks or a walking boot.

How to treat a grade 1 sprain?

For a Grade 1 (mild) sprain, follow the R.I.C.E. guidelines: Rest your ankle by not walking on it. Limit weight bearing and use crutches if necessary. If there is no broken bone you are safe to put some weight on the leg. An ankle brace often helps control swelling and adds stability while the ligaments are healing.

What is a sprained ankle?

A sprained ankle is an injury or tear of one or more ligaments on the outer side of your ankle ​. If a sprain is not treated properly, you could h​ave long-term problems. A sprain can be difficult to differentiate from a broken bone without an X-ray.

How to keep ankle ligaments from swelling?

An ankle brace often helps control swelling and adds stability while the ligaments are healing. Ice it to keep down the swelling. Don't put ice directly on the skin (use a thin piece of cloth such as a pillowcase between the ice bag and the skin) and don't ice more than 20 minutes at a time to avoid frostbite.

What happens if you don't heal your ankle?

If you don't complete rehabilitation, you could suffer chronic pain, looseness, and arthritis in your ankle. If your ankle still hurts, it could mean that the sprained ligament has not healed right, or that some other injury occurred.

Do ankle sprains require surgery?

Most an kle sprains do not require surgery, and minor sprains are best treated with a rehabilitation program similar to your sporting activities. Depending on how many ligaments are injured, your sprain will be classified as Grade 1 (mild), 2 (moderate), or 3 (severe).

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How to treat a sprained ankle?

Grade I sprains usually is cured by a method known as R.I.C.E. which stands for: 1 Rest —Try to avoid walking on the sprained ankle or using it in anyway. Crutches may even be necessary. 2 Ice— Applying an ice pack in the affected area will help to reduce swelling (remember not to put ice or frozen substances directly onto your skin, and hold it there for no longer than 20 minutes at a time). 3 Compression —Applying pressure and compression to the injured area can help to control swelling and provide extra support for the ankle. 4 Elevation —Elevate the ankle above the heart (lay on your back and rest the injured ankle high on something comfortable). This will help to reduce pain and swelling.

How to stop swelling from a sprained ankle?

Rest —Try to avoid walking on the sprained ankle or using it in anyway. Crutches may even be necessary. Ice— Applying an ice pack in the affected area will help to reduce swelling (remember not to put ice or frozen substances directly onto your skin, and hold it there for no longer than 20 minutes at a time).

What is the most common cause of ankle sprains?

Ankle sprains most commonly occur on the outside part of the ankle from numerous activities. It commonly happens whilst playing sports, and can lead to bruising, swelling, pain, and the incapability to put pressure upon the affected ankle. An inversion ankle sprain happens when the foot rolls underneath the ankle in an unnatural position.

What is grade 2 ankle ligament?

Grade II: Grade II refers to moderate tearing of the ligament. The ankle is slightly unstable, and walking will become difficult and provoke pain. This can come with severe pain, bruising, and swelling. Grade III: Grade III, being the most severe, is a complete tearing of the ankle ligament.

What is grade 3 ankle?

Grade III: Grade III, being the most severe, is a complete tearing of the ankle ligament. The ankle becomes entirely unstable, and walking on the ankle will be impossible. This will involve severe pain that should dissipate as long as you rest the ankle and place no pressure whatsoever on it.

How long does it take to recover from a Grade II ankle sprain?

Grade II ankle sprains are usually treated with the R.I.C.E. method also, but naturally require more recovery time—about 4 to 6 weeks to recover to normal activities. A cast or a walking boot may be required to support and protect the injured ankle from further damage during the recovery process.

What is the best treatment for a swollen thigh?

2. Other Relieve Options. Medications: NASIDs or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can be applied to ease the pain and reduce the swelling, which is a controversial treatment approach. Aside from NASIDs, other painkiller medications like Panadol, Tylenol, and Anacin Aspirin Free can be applied as well.

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