Ankle sprain is defined as damage or a defect in the ankle area, especially in the ligaments that connect the bones of the foot to the leg, which leads to tearing or stretching them more than normal.
This occurs when the ankle area is exposed to a sudden and unusual movement, such as a person being exposed to a specific accident, or falling during normal daily activities. An ankle sprain is usually on the outer part of the ankle. In this guide, we will discuss how to heal a sprained ankle overnight using home remedies
How to heal a sprained ankle overnight
How to heal a sprained ankle overnight? The RICE method—rest, ice, compression, and elevation—is the most effective approach. Rest prevents further strain, ice reduces swelling when applied for 15-20 minutes every few hours, compression supports the injured area, and elevation minimizes fluid buildup by keeping the ankle above heart level. These steps, when followed within the first 24 hours, promote faster healing and protect the ligaments from additional damage.
1. Doing light activities
Doing light exercises may help speed up healing after a day or two of rest. A report published by the National Athletic Trainers Association indicated that light exercise is beneficial for blood flow, aids in healing, improves balance and stability of the ankle, and reduces the risk of re-injury.
2. Home Remedies For Sprained Ankle
If you are looking for how to heal a sprained ankle overnight? It is worth noting that there are many home remedies for sprained Ankle, such as castor oil and Epsom salt.
3. Apply a compression bandage
Compression helps reduce swelling and provides stability to the ankle by immobilizing it. Apply a compression bandage for 48 to 72 hours.
What is an ankle sprain?
In order to understand how to heal a sprained ankle overnight? You must know the injury well, as an ankle sprain is one of the most common musculoskeletal injuries in people of all ages, especially athletes. This injury occurs when one or more of the ankle ligaments stretch or tear, causing pain, swelling, and difficulty walking.
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What are the types of ankle sprains?
Speaking of how to heal a sprained ankle overnight? There are three types of ankle sprains, which are:
- Moderate degree: This is a first-degree sprain, characterized by a slight stretch and Very small tear of the ligament fibers with moderate swelling in the ankle.
- second-degree: This is a second-degree sprain, in which there is a partial tear of the ligaments with moderate swelling in the ankle.
- Severe degree: This is a third-degree sprain, characterized by a complete tear of the ligaments and severe swelling around the ankle
Symptoms of an ankle sprain
When it comes to how to heal a sprained ankle overnight? An ankle sprain occurs or even when the ankle is exposed to any other type of injury, such as fractures, this may cause inflammation and some fluids to begin to exit the blood vessels and collect in the delicate tissues surrounding the joint. These are some of the symptoms expected to appear with the resulting inflammation:
- Swelling resulting from the accumulation of fluids in the tissues surrounding the joint.
- Pain That Increases in severity when pressure is applied to the site of the injury or when moving the foot to walk, run, or even move it normally.
- Redness and warmth resulting from increased blood flow to the affected area.
- Paleness of the skin color in the area of the injury.
- Joint stiffness and inability to put any weight on it
Causes and risk factors of an ankle sprain
Moving the foot incorrectly can damage the ligaments that connect the bones, which causes an ankle sprain. The feet may be moved incorrectly while walking, running, or walking on an uneven surface, or even when taking a wrong step in a place with a small hole, for example.
Ankle sprains are also common during various sports, such as when jumping in a basketball game to shoot, then the feet return to the ground and suddenly land incorrectly on it. A good diagnosis helps you understand how to heal a sprained ankle overnight?
Diagnosing an ankle sprain
Diagnosis is an important step that helps the doctor gain knowledge about how to heal a sprained ankle overnight?
Ankle sprains are usually diagnosed by conducting a close physical examination of the ligaments and the area of the ankle sprain, and trying to find out the extent of the injured person’s ability to move his ankle to determine the severity of the injury. The doctor may also ask the injured person to take a set of medical images, such as X-rays or CT scans.
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Sprained ankle recovery
After understanding how to heal a sprained ankle overnight? The recovery period for a sprained ankle depends on the level of activity you are trying to return to and the severity of the sprain you suffered. Ankle sprains are classified according to the damage to the ankle as follows:
1. First degree
This is a degree in which the ankle is twisted and not torn, but you feel stable in it. The treatment period for a first-degree injury ranges from two to four weeks or more to return to movement.
2. Second degree
In which a moderate sprain occurs with a partial tear in the ligaments, usually resulting in moderate pain and a little instability with bruising in all areas of the ankle. In a second-degree injury, treatment takes 6-8 weeks.
3. Third degree
In which a severe sprain occurs with instability in the joints, and the possibility of a tear in the ligament, resulting in severe pain with significant swelling.
Grade III healing time or recovery time depends on several different factors, and some physical therapists and orthopedists may decide that early immobilization in a walking boot is necessary to allow the ligaments to heal in grade II and III sprains.
Preventing ankle sprains
in addition how to heal a sprained ankle overnight?It is possible to prevent ankle sprains completely by following the following procedures and instructions:
- Start Physical therapy, by practicing exercises to strengthen bones and joints regularly.
- Avoid wearing high-heeled shoes completely.
- Ensure that you do the necessary warm-up exercises before exercising.
- Be careful when walking or running on uneven or flat surfaces, or try to avoid them as much as possible.
- Wear appropriate shoes at all times, especially when practicing various sports activities.
- Stop exercising when you feel very tired.
- Wear protective bandages when practicing some sports that may make you vulnerable to ankle sprains, such as basketball.
How to wrap a sprained ankle
Ankle sprains are very common and occur when you turn your ankle or twist it in a strange way to stretch or tear one of the ligaments on the outside of it. A sprained ankle can cause long-term problems if left untreated, but most sprains can be treated with basic care (rest, ice, compression, elevation). The step below shows you how to heal a sprained ankle overnight? by using properly applying compression to a sprained ankle:
- Choose your bandage. An elastic bandage is the best choice for compression bandages and is colloquially known as an “ACE” bandage after a brand of elastic bandages.
- Prepare your bandage. If you haven’t already wrapped the elastic bandage, wrap it in a tight coil.
- Place the compression bandage in the correct location. It may be easier to wrap the wrapped bandage on the inside of your foot if you’re wrapping it yourself. If you’re wrapping someone else’s ankle, it may be easier to wrap it on the outside of their foot.
- Add more padding if needed. You can put gauze on either side of the ankle before wrapping for extra support. You can also use foam or felt pads cut into horseshoe shapes to provide more stability in compression bandages.
- Start with an under bandage (a piece of foam). The sub-wrap is a non-adhesive material used to wrap the foot and ankle before applying the tape so that it does not damage the skin surface.
- Install the stilt. Cut a strip of tape long enough to wrap around your ankle one and a half times. Wrap it around your ankle over the sub-wrap to secure it. This is called a stilt because it holds the rest of the tape in place.
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How to strengthen your ankle after a sprain
After we understand the importance of how to heal a sprained ankle overnight? Here are some steps that will help you overcome the injury and strengthen the tissues again:
Fitness
People with poor fitness are more likely to develop this sprain, especially when overexerting the foot.
Adjusting your posture
A weak ankle is always prone to sprains and also exposes you to other risks related to poor physical condition. The muscles of the legs and feet are trained to push the body away from the ground mechanically.
A diet rich in collagen
Collagen protein is the most abundant in the human body, it keeps all types of connective tissue strong, and sources of collagen include bone broth because it contains amino acids.
Nutritional supplements
The body needs nutrients that help reduce inflammation and support tissue repair, and increase growth factors to help you naturally heal faster, such as the enzyme bromelain found in pineapple, and omega-3 oils in fish.
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The difference between a sprained ankle and a broken ankle
It can be difficult to determine whether there is a bone fracture or a sprain? So it is necessary to distinguish between them well to know whether the pain you are experiencing is a bone fracture or a ٍprain?
1. Sprain
Any damage to soft tissues such as tendons and ligaments, and sprain or dislocation is very painful.
When we suffer from sprains and other soft tissue injuries, we can often use the limb in one way or another, while fractures greatly limit our ability to move, and sprains and strains improve within a day or two, unlike bone fractures.
It is worth noting that soft tissue injuries or sprains may cause bruising under the skin, but they are not as prominent and visible as in cases of bone fractures.
2. Bone fracture
A fracture is also very painful, and it is difficult to determine the presence of a fracture by looking only, as practically the doctor cannot confirm the presence of a fracture with certainty based on looking only, some other tests must be performed.
Some of the most important information you should know about a broken bone are:
- If the fracture affects the adjacent nerves or blood vessels near it, the limb may become cold, pale, or numb, and these are signs that indicate that you should go to the doctor.
- Suppose you suffer from pallor, sweating, dizziness, or dehydration. In that case, this means that you are suffering from signs of shock, and the person suffering from these emergency signs may need immediate medical treatment.
- Prevent the person with the fracture from lifting heavy weights with the broken limb.
- Prominent bruises appear in cases of fracture, and they are more common compared to cases of sprain.
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When to see a doctor
Usually, an ankle sprain does not require urgent medical advice, but sometimes the injury may be a fracture and not just an ankle sprain, and here you must obtain appropriate medical intervention immediately to know how to heal a sprained ankle overnight? and the injured person should consult a doctor without waiting in the following cases:
- Unbearable pain that does not work with any of the previously mentioned treatments.
- Pain that continues with the injured person even two weeks after the injury occurred.
- Swelling that worsens daily.
- Inability to walk due to severe pain.
- The condition does not improve despite 5-7 days of injury.
- A fracture occurs, and these are its symptoms: severe pain, severe swelling, severe pain when touching the bony areas of the ankle, and inability to walk completely due to pain.
Steps at Home to a Faster Ankle Sprain Recovery with Lana Life Care
Speaking about how to heal a sprained ankle overnight? Home remedies for sprained ankles usually include procedures that help relieve the inflammation quickly, and these are the most important procedures provided by Lana Life Care through their home healthcare service:
- Rest: You should try to rest the joint as much as possible, and it is preferable to wear a special device that prevents movement of the ankle.
- Painkillers: Painkillers help relieve the pain and swelling, but it is preferable to consult a doctor first.
- Epsom salt for sprained Ankle: It is used as a topical treatment around the affected area and helps reduce pain.
- castor oil for sprained ankle: It is used as a topical treatment around the affected area and helps reduce pain.
Conclusion
After the text, ankle sprain is one of the most common injuries, especially among sports practitioners. A good diagnosis of the patient’s condition helps in understanding how to heal a sprained ankle overnight? There are many home remedies for a sprained ankle, such as Epsom salt and castor oil
FAQ
What helps a sprained ankle heal faster?
There are several ways that can help you in how to heal a sprained ankle overnight? such as avoiding exertion and raising your foot off the ground.
Can a sprained ankle heal in 2 days?
The recovery time for a sprained ankle often varies depending on the severity of the injury, but in general, the recovery period takes weeks and may even reach months.
Should I rub out my sprained ankle?
Massage, especially in the first period after the injury, can lead to greater complications, so many doctors recommend avoiding massage.
