Sprains: Symptoms and Treatment

Sprained limbs occur in both children and adults. The most commonly sprained body parts are ankles, knees and the arches of the feet. A sprain is actually an overly stretched ligament. Ligaments are the stretchy "bands" that attach to your bones and hold your joints in their place. The ligament can have tears in it or even be broken apart. Sprained ligaments will swell and bruise very quickly and are hard to determine from a broken bone. A common rule is the more pain you are experiencing, the worse the injury is. Minor sprains can be treated at home but more severe ones will require medical attention. Below are the steps to treat a sprained ligament at home.

A great way to remember the steps is to remember P.R.I.C.E. That stands for:

1.Protect- Protect your injury from further damage by not using the injured joint. You can use a variety of items to protect your injury such as a splint, brace, or crutches.

2.Rest- Rest your injury but do not avoid all physical activity. Try to do as much physical activity as you can without using the sprain.

3.Ice- Ice the injured area as soon as possible after the injury occurs. Continue icing the area off and on throughout the recovery process.

4.Compress- Use a compressive bandage or sleeve to support the sprain.

5.Elevate- Elevate the injury above your heart to limit swelling. You can do this by placing pillows under the injury.

You should seek treatment if any of the following apply:

1. You heard a popping sound when the injury occurred. This is a strong signal that ligament has been completely severed.

2. The injured area is red and hot to the touch. Also check to see if you have a fever. These could be signs of an infection.

3.You believe that you have a severe sprain. The longer you take to seek treatment for a severe sprain, the more possibilities that you could have long term damage or chronic pain.

4. If after two or three days of treatment you have not improved, you should seek medical attention.