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Lateral Ankle Sprains Article
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All There Is To Know About Sprains
Sprains are types of injuries that can happen to many different parts of the body. Sprains can be described as injuries to the ligaments that are caused by overstretching.
There are four degrees of sprains. The first degree is considered a minor stretch. The second degree is when the ligament is actually torn and the area is affected by swelling and pain.
The third degree is classified as a complete rupture. The fourth degree is considered to be the most severe. The degree of injury does require surgery to fix. The ligament with this degree is actually broken and sometimes small bones are broken as well.
Some of the main symptoms of sprains are pain, swelling, and sometimes loss of function of the body part. The most common places for this type of injury to occur are the ankle, wrist, and knee. These injuries can be diagnosed by something called MRI or magnetic resonance imaging.
Sprains are typically sports related injuries, although they can occur during other activities and accidents as well.
No matter how the injury occurs, the important thing is how to treat them. There are some simple rules to treating these kinds of injuries. The key is to remember not to pay the P.R.I.C.E. of the injury.
The “p” is the first trick and it stands for protect. It is important to protect the place of the injury to ensure that it does not get injured further.
The ‘r’ is for rest. It is essential to rest the area where the injury occurred.
The ‘i’ stands for ice. Icing the area can take down the swelling and prevent the area from swelling even more. The important thing to understand about icing an injury is that ice should never be applied for longer than 15 minutes at a time.
Along the same lines is the “c” which stands for compression. The compression of the injury is important to reduce swelling as well.
The last is the “e’ which stands for elevation. The injury should be elevated so that it is as level with the heart as comfortably and conveniently as possible. Sprains can occur many times throughout life and most frequently in someone’s youth when they are most involved in athletics and carelessness in activities.
As long as the injuries are acted upon quickly and the “P.R.I.C.E.” method of treatment is followed there is usually nothing to worry about.
However, it is important to still seek the advice of a physician incase it is a fourth degree sprain which requires surgery. Most are a second degree and heal quickly and easily.