Treating an Ankle Injury – Active children, teenagers and adults are all susceptible to common ankle injuries. An ankle injury is often the result of an everyday stumble or sporting accident where the ankle joint is forced into an excessive range of movement.

If you suspect an ankle injury, the most common form is either a sprain or a fracture.

Usually caused by a more violent blow or twisting trauma to the ankle, symptoms of a fractured ankle bone or bones include:

• Instant and severe pain
• Disfiguring swelling and bruising
• Tender and painful to touch
• Inability to place any weight on the injured leg

A severe spraining of the tendons and ligaments in the ankle can often mask the symptoms of a fractured ankle, so it’s important that any ankle injury is examined and attended to by a qualified physician. Only a qualified physician can provide an accurate and reliable assessment of the severity of the injury.

Elastoplast offers a range of ankle injury management products to help you protect and care for you and your family.

Following in injury, your first point of call should be to a qualified physician. Immediately following the accident and while you are waiting for a physician, follow and apply the RICER protocol to the affected area:

• Rest – rest the ankle and avoid putting weight on the injured foot.
• Ice – apply a cold pack to injury for 20 minutes every 2 hours to help reduce the discomfort of the injury.
• Compression - Apply Elastoplast Heavy Crepe Bandage or Elastoplast Sport Cohesive Bandage, covering the injured area, as well as the areas above and below. Compression reduces bleeding and swelling.
• Elevation – Elevate the injured area and rest on a soft surface to help stop any bleeding and swelling.
• Referral – Refer yourself or the injured child to a qualified physician for precise diagnosis and further care and treatment advice. 

Learn how to strap an ankle with our basic taping methods.

Preventing an ankle injury involves more than just avoiding common injury risk factors such as a sudden change in direction or dangerous and slippery surfaces.

There are a number of proactive ways you can help prevent ankle injuries from occurring or reoccurring, including:

• Remaining hydrated before, during and after exercise
• Allowing adequate recovery time between workouts and training sessions
• Gentle and progressive training prior exercising or playing sport
• Focussing on building up ankle strength with increasingly stronger agility drills
• Wearing specific ankle protection especially for previously injured ankles
• Wearing appropriate footwear while exercising to ensure your feet and ankles are adequately supported
• Avoiding activities that cause severe pain and discomfort
• Consistently warming up and cooling down before and after exercise

Assessing the safety of the training or play area