It’s 5PM on a Saturday afternoon…

You take that step off your porch, and immediately your heart drops as you feel unsteady on your feet, As your ankle rolls you feel and hear that noise we all dread. POP… You try to stand, but you can’t put weight on the ankle much less walk. Is it a bad sprain, a strain, or worse… is there a break? What do you do?

First and most important— don’t panic.

Second, if there are no bones protruding or excessive bleeding, ice and elevate the area.

Third, seek medical advice from a doctor who specializes in the affected area. For example, if you’ve hurt your foot or ankle talk to a podiatrist. Often podiatrists can catch smaller fractures on an x-ray that emergency rooms may miss.

Lastly, knowing the difference between a sprain, strain, and a fracture can help save you both time and money.

A sprain is an injury to a ligament (tissue that connects bone at a joint). When a sprain occurs one or more ligaments are stretched or can even be torn. Ankle sprains are the most common injury in America (nearly 2 million yearly). While most sprains are minor injuries that often heal without incident, repeated strains can cause long term problems like chronic ankle pain, arthritis, and instability. If you believe you’ve suffered a sprain, you should still consult a doctor. Sprains can lead to more serious injuries if not properly diagnosed or treated.

The three grades of sprains include:

·         Mild: slight stretching and microscopic tearing of the ligament fibers with mild tenderness and swelling.

·         Moderate: partial tearing of the ligament with tenderness and swelling around the ankle.

·         Severe: complete tearing of the ligament, significant tenderness and swelling with substantial instability during certain movements.

A strain is an injury to a muscle or tendon (fibrous cords of tissue that connect muscle to bone). The injury results in a muscle or tendon that is stretched or torn.  In some cases, such as shin splints, a muscle can be stretched to the point it pulls away from the bone. If a muscle strain has occurred and persists, consult a doctor. Strains left improperly treated can lead to other serious medical complications.

Most people know a fracture is an injury to a bone. There are multiple types and grades of fractures. Fractures can even occur with no known trauma as is the case with stress fractures.  Signs of possible fracture can include: swelling around the injury site, bruising, and deformity (the limb may appear “out of place” or bone may puncture skin). If you suspect you may be suffering from a fracture consult a doctor immediately. Improperly diagnosed or treated fractures can lead to serious problems with arthritis and bone deformities or worse in extreme cases.

Exploring alternative therapies such as laser therapy can also be a great way to help you manage any of these injuries. If you’d like information on how MLS Laser Therapy can help speed recovery, control inflammation, and reduce pain associated with any of these conditions check out our page 10 Key Benefits of Laser Therapy or you can follow us on Facebook for more information.