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First Aid For Sprains Article
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Caution: Complications Of Ankle Sprains Below
Ankle sprains are quite common injuries especially in the world of sports. However, when not taken care of properly or when injuries can re-occurred, then complications of ankle sprains can occur.
The complications of ankle sprains can be quite serious and should definitely be taken into consideration when thinking that an ankle sprain does not need to be attended to with care.
There are four main complications that can occur. These include Synovitis, persistent swelling of the ankle, ankle instability, and nerve entrapment. These are all complications of ankle sprains that need to be approached with care and concern.
The ankle bears a lot of weight throughout life and a permanent or persistent injury to the ankle can be quite disruptive to daily life and activities. Some of the complications are described below.
Synovitis is inflammation of the inner lining of the ankle joint capsule. Unfortunately this can occur even if there is proper treatment of the initial ankle injury.
If the symptoms persist and continue to cause problems they can be fixed through arthroscopy of the ankle. This is one of the most common complications of ankle sprains.
The next of the complications of ankle sprains is persistent swelling. This can be caused by the ligament tear not healing properly. The tearing of the ligament can take a few months to heal initially. In order to find the actual cause of the swelling an MRI is often used.
This will determine the treatment of how to alleviate the swelling. The most common treatment is physical therapy. The third of the complications of ankle sprains is lateral ankle instability. This is when the ankle seems to roll on itself during daily activities.
Instability of the ankle can also cause some swelling and low grade pain. The typical treatment for instability is temporary casting, wearing braces and splints, and physical therapy. The last of the complications of ankle sprains is nerve injuries.
The most common reason for nerve injuries is severe swelling caused by rolling the ankle. The nerves around the ankle that are affected are called the cutaneous nerves. The pain that goes along with this condition is usually sharp and radiating. Simply walking can aggravate this condition.
Treatment for this should be immediate and typically involves immobilization of the area. Surgery is very rare. All of these ailments can occur when an ankle injury has been sustained, however, with proper treatment of the initial injury it should heal quickly without complications.
The key is to use care and caution when dealing with the initial ankle injury.