Sports injuries of the foot and ankle are incredibly common among adolescents and active adults. While sports injuries aren’t always serious, they can come with significant discomfort or pain. Over time, these injuries may worsen, making it essential that you seek sports injury treatment with a specialist in foot and ankle in Boynton Beach.
For almost two decades, the Foot, Ankle & Leg Vein Center has served the communities around Boca Raton and Boynton Beach. Dr. Jodi Schoenhaus and Dr. Jason Gold are board-certified podiatrists ready to diagnose and treat any sports injury that you or your loved one is suffering from.
Ankle sprain is one of the most common forms of sports injury that can be treated by a foot and ankle specialist in Boynton Beach. Learn about the symptoms and when to seek treatment.
Ankle Sprain – A Common and Painful Sports Injury
Any athlete that engages in sports with high-impact running and sudden movement can suffer from an ankle sprain. The ankle joint connects the lower leg and the foot, and it’s one of the hardest working parts of the body. When you suffer from an injury in this area, you’ll know about it immediately.
A sprain is caused by an unusual twisting or bending motion. Rolling an ankle is a common way to end up with a sprain. However, your ankle doesn’t need to completely roll to suffer a sprain. Putting pressure on your ankle when landing awkwardly, running, or walking on uneven ground could lead to this common condition.
The pain from a sprain can range from mild to severe. For many people, a sprain will prevent daily activities. Seeking treatment is necessary to ensure that a sprain is indeed present, as a fracture could produce similar symptoms.
Common causes of ankle sprain:
- Walking on an irregular surface and stepping into a hole, ditch, or sloped patch of earth
- Awkwardly planting a foot when running, landing from a jump, walking, etc.
- Rolling an ankle for any reason. This is common in basketball. When a player lands on another’s foot, this can cause the ankle to roll inwards, causing a sprain and near-immediate pain.
If you experience a scenario like the ones listed above, you could be left with a sprain that causes mild or debilitating pain. The most common symptoms to look out for are:
- Swelling around the ankle begins within hours. The swelling can often be severe, allowing you to make an indentation in your skin when touching it with your finger
- Pain is the most obvious symptom. Pain will be constant in most cases, especially around the ankle joint and surrounding areas. The pain may worsen when touching the area, walking, standing, or moving your foot
- Redness and a hot feeling around the ankle can indicate that a sprain has occurred
- Redness may turn to bruise within the first day
Seeking Treatment for a Sprained Ankle
A sprain doesn’t always require a visit to a foot and ankle specialist. If you have suffered this type of injury before, then you may be able to treat it with compression, icing, and elevation. Anti-inflammatory medicines can also help reduce pain in the short term while the injury heals itself.
However, if this is your first potential sprain and you aren’t familiar with the signs and symptoms, then a visit to your foot doctor in Boynton Beach is recommended. Sometimes, the symptoms listed above could relate to a more severe injury, such as a fracture.
Look for the following signs, and if they don’t subside within the first week, it’s time to visit a foot and ankle specialist in Boynton Beach.
- The pain is severe and can’t be controlled with icing, compression, elevation, and anti-inflammatory medicines
- You have experienced a similar level of pain or increasing pain over the first five days after suffering the injury. In most sprains, the pain will start to subside over the first week. You will notice this happening as it gets a little less every day. If it stays the same or does the opposite, it’s time to visit a specialist
- You are immobilized or your mobility is greatly reduced because of the pain. You should still be able to walk on a sprained ankle, even with the pain
- You notice extreme swelling or deformation in your foot or ankle. This could indicate a fracture and will require immediate attention from a foot and ankle specialist in Boynton Beach
- Extreme pain when pressing (even mildly) on either bony side of the ankle
Don’t ignore the warning signs that your sprained ankle could be something more severe. Early treatment will help prevent long-term complications from fractures or other injuries.
Get Expert Care with Foot and Ankle Specialist in Boynton Beach
You can book a consultation at the Foot, Ankle & Leg Vein Center today. Our experienced Boynton Beach podiatrists are highly trained to provide expert diagnosis, effective care, and sports injury treatment. Sports injuries can take you away from the physical activities that you love. The faster you treat them, the sooner you’ll be able to get back to sports and exercise.
An ankle sprain is a setback that you can overcome. Look for the signs and symptoms and contact us if you notice severe symptoms or anything out of the ordinary. With the foot and ankle treatment in Boynton Beach, you can protect your health and fitness for the years to come.
