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Ankle sprains are a very common and very costly injury that many individuals are likely to experience at least once in their lifetime. It is estimated that in 2013, two million Americans suffered from ankle sprains. The average cost of these ankle sprains? $ 318 to $ 914 per ankle sprain. While ankle sprains may seem like an insignificant injury that does not require a lot of attention, ankle sprains are nothing to mess around with. If an ankle sprain is not properly treated, a patient may exercise a loss of mobility and arthritis later on in life. Let"s take a look at how treating ankle sprains with chiropractic care can help patients make a full recovery from an ankle sprain.
Typical Treatment of an Ankle Sprain
One of the biggest concerns that comes along with a sprained ankle is the likelihood of a recurrence. One of the biggest risk factors for experiencing an ankle sprain is having suffered in ankle sprain at another point in your life..
Think about how you, a family member or a friend has dealt with an ankle sprain in the past. Chances are you have opted to:
Treated the injury at home -- using rest, ice, elevation and compression.
Made a trip to your doctor"s office or an urgent care facility. During this visit, you likely received an x-ray to rule out a fracture and an exam from a physician.
In a majority of cases, ankle sprains do not lead to fractures or ligament tears.
For most individuals, typical treatment includes taking it easy for 2-4 weeks while you anxiously await the pain disappearing and the swelling going down. If the ankle sprain is serious enough, you may find yourself in a walking boot or being required to walk with crutches. Sometimes anti-inflammatory medication will be recommended to help reduce your symptoms. Eventually, you will begin to use your ankle again. Visiting with your family doctor or an orthopaedic doctor is likely to result in a trip to a physical therapist"s office..
That the average person, who is unfamiliar with the make-up of the foot and ankle, does not realize is that the bones of the foot generally shift out of their healthy alignment when an ankle sprain occurs. With 26 bones in your feet, a traditional doctor is likely not going to consider that the bones in your feet may be affected.. Chiropractic care can be beneficial in the treatment of ankle sprains..
Treating Ankle Sprains with Chiropractic Care
If you are anything like most individuals, you probably are thinking that chiropractic care is just for the spine. How is treating ankle sprains with chiropractic care going to be possible? Chiropractors have the knowledge to treat many other areas of the body, not just the spine. Through the use of foot and ankle range of motion testing, orthopaedic testing (to rule out an injury more severe than an ankle sprain) and palpation skills, chiropractors are able to assess your injury and come up with a personalized treatment plan that works for you.
When visiting a chiropractor with an ankle sprain, your chiropractor may opt to:
1. Physical Therapy. Muscle stimulation, ultrasound and the use of ice and head treatments may be recommended by your chiropractor to help ease the pain and discomfort associated with an ankle sprain.. Exercises can also be given to a patient to help restore full range of motion to the ankle. Depending on the severity of the injury, how painful it is and how swollen the ankle is will determine which methods of physical therapy are used to treat your ankle sprain.
2. Chiropractic Adjustments. If you thought chiropractic adjustments are just for the spine, they are also used in treating ankle sprains with chiropractic care. With 26 different bones in the foot, there is a very good chance that one or more of these bones may become misaligned during an ankle sprain. Chiropractors use their hands to motion palpate the bones to find out what bones are in need of an adjustment.
3. Home Care and Rehab Methods. COmmon care modalities when it comes to treating ankle sprains with chiropractic care can include ice/heat as well as passive and active range of motion. Treatment will then progress to ankle strengthening and stabilization. This may include anything from writing the alphabet with your big toe to improve range of motion to using a wobble board to help work on strength and balance.
4. Foot Supports and Orthotics. For a chiropractic point of view, one of the main reasons for re-injuring an ankle is due to collapsed aches or overpronation of the feet. This is why foot supports and orthotics are often used in treating ankle sprains with chiropractic care. They can be used as a preventative measure so that a recurrent ankle sprain is less likely to occur.
Matthew Gianforte, DC serves Kansas City and Johnson County focusing on the underlying cause of disease through a whole systems approach with Functional Medicine, Chiropractic, and weight loss. Stop managing symptoms and start treating the underlying cause of disease, thereby addressing our chronic disease epidemic. Connect on Facebook, and Google+.
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