A sprain is an injury involving the stretching and/or tearing of your ligaments. With the ankle, it is possible to suffer an injury to either side of the joint, the interior or the exterior. You may have an inversion sprain or an eversion sprain. Whichever type you suffer from, it will fall into one of three categories:
Grade 1 Ankle Sprain
A Grade 1 sprain is one where the ligaments have not torn, only stretched further than normal. Symptoms of a first-degree sprain include discomfort when jumping, jogging or sometimes walking. Pain is usually mild and swelling is minimal.
Grade 2 Ankle Sprain
The ligament is partially torn, which can lead to several uncomfortable symptoms. The sprain will make walking difficult, be moderately painful and make it hard to use the ankle. The injury will result in noticeable swelling and often bruising.
Grade 3 Ankle Sprain
A Grade 3 sprain is the most severe and involves a full tear of the ligament. Pain is often severe with significant swelling. The torn ligament makes the joint unstable, so it is not only painful but also very hard to use.
For your chiropractor, the classification will help to direct the best treatment options and can help you recover from an ankle injury, both reducing pain and speeding up recovery time, providing you have confirmed (via x-ray) that there is no fracture. Chiropractic focuses on improving mobility and range of motion, which is beneficial when trying to recover from a sprain and get back to your normal life.
Some of the most common chiropractic treatments for ankle sprains include:
Adjustments
A sprain can knock the ankle out of alignment, something that most traditional doctors and rehabs do not consider. An ankle adjustment will work to put things back into their proper places.
Strengthening Exercises
Things like a wobble board, where you stabilise yourself on a wobbly platform and drawing on a board with a marker held in your toes, can be surprisingly effective at strengthening your ankle.
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