Have you ever twisted your ankle and not known what to do to help it heal? Have you ever fallen and landed on your wrist in a strange way? Do you reach for ice, heat, aspirin, Tylenol, ibuprofen or something else? Is it better to continue to use the joint or to protect it by not using it?
Your first concern should be determining if you have fractured a bone or dislocated a joint. In general, if you can bear weight on an ankle immediately after you injured it, it is probably not broken. If you are unsure, you need to see a healthcare provider, who can help decide if you need to get an X-ray. But if you are able to move the joint fairly well, and it seems to be just swollen and painful, you can give it 24 to 48 hours and see if it improves.
Many times with musculoskeletal injuries, home treatment is advised, in the form of RICE: rest, ice, compression and elevation. This means that you should try to use the injured joint less, apply ice for 10 to 15 minutes every two to three hours while awake, compress the area to reduce swelling with a wrap that is snug but not too tight, and elevate the affected limb as often as possible to allow excess fluid to drain back into your torso where it can be reabsorbed.
To counter pain and inflammation, NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) are often helpful. One of the best medicines to try is ibuprofen. It is available as a generic, or under the brand names Advil and Motrin. Most over-the-counter ibuprofen comes in 200 mg tablets or capsules. You should take two pills (400 mg) every four hours or three pills (600 mg) every six hours. Aspirin and naproxen (Aleve) are also NSAIDs that are available over the counter.
All NSAIDs should be taken with food to guard against upset stomach or, in rare cases, stomach bleeding. Anyone with a history of gastric reflux or stomach problems should not take NSAIDs, but should instead take acetaminophen (Tylenol), which is a pain reliever but not an anti-inflammatory.
Two days after your injury, some of the swelling should have gone down, and it is important to change your care routine. Now heat can help more than ice. Cold makes your blood vessels constrict, which helps to reduce swelling. But after 48 hours, you want to encourage blood flow to the area so that it can help your injury repair itself. Heat dilates blood vessels, so it encourages blood flow to aid healing.
Now is also the time to begin to use your injured joint a bit more. You can start with passive range-of-motion exercises: Take your hand and grasp the affected joint and slowly bend it back and forth and side to side. Each time you do the exercises look for slightly increased range of motion. One easy exercise is to write the alphabet in the air by bending your affected joint. This is an active range of motion exercise, which means your joint moves on its own without your hand guiding it.
You will know how much activity your joint is ready to handle by listening to what your body is telling you. Many people find that it takes six to eight weeks to return to normal use and function of the affected joint. After two months, if you still experience pain or swelling, a healthcare provider should evaluate you further.
~Written by Sarah Sherr as part of an ongoing series dedicated to raising health and safety awareness across the Temple community. For further information on sprains and strains, contact Student and Employee Health Services at 215-204-7391. If you have other health and safety questions, concerns and/or suggestions, contact the Health and Safety Committee at healthandsafety@temple.edu.