Like most injuries, a sprain can happen in an instant. All it takes is to turn a joint awkwardly, and the ligaments — which hold the bones of a joint together — can stretch or tear from the strain. That’s when pain, swelling, and bruising can set in. Sometimes, you can even hear or feel a “pop” in the moment and have problems moving the affected joint normally.
Sprains are a very common injury, especially with the ankle. However, they can occur anywhere two or more bones come together in your skeleton, including your fingers, wrist, shoulder, and neck.
Unfortunately, many people don’t give much thought to sprains. However, they deserve proper attention, because ignoring a sprain can lead to an even worse injury. Thomas F. Saylor, MD, of Orthopaedic Care Specialists in North Palm Beach, Florida, is an expert in diagnosing and treating sprains. In this blog, he explains what you should do if you suffer a sprain.
The most important thing to know about sprains is that they’re not all one and the same.
For instance, you can have a minor injury to a ligament that heals on its own within a few days, or you can have severe damage that requires surgical intervention. There are also sprains that fall in between these extremes. But regardless of their severity, a sprain needs proper care to heal, whether that means rest, physical therapy, or surgery.
If you think you sprained something, stop what you’re doing and start the RICE protocol immediately. This handy acronym stands for rest, ice, compression, and elevation, which is the first line of defense for reducing the inflammation, swelling, and pain of an injury.
Minor sprains usually respond to the RICE method within 48-72 hours. However, if you have severe pain, symptoms that worsen, or don’t see signs of improvement, it’s time to see an expert, because it likely won’t heal on its own.
After assessing your injury, Dr. Saylor could suggest a few different approaches, including physical therapy, regenerative medicine, or minimally invasive surgery.
Physical therapy can help stabilize and strengthen the injured area. This therapy often involves special exercises, movement modifications, and prevention strategies to help you avoid reinjury in the future.
In addition to physical therapy, Dr. Saylor could also recommend bracing or other types of devices to immobilize the injured joint during the healing process.
Another highly effective treatment for soft tissue injuries, such as sprains, is regenerative medicine. These treatments work to stimulate and enhance the healing process on a cellular level.
If you have a sprain, Dr. Saylor could suggest platelet-rich plasma therapy. With this type of therapy, Dr. Saylor takes a sample of your blood and puts it in a centrifuge, which separates the platelets in your blood from the other components. Then he takes the resulting platelet serum and injects it into the injured area. Platelets are very powerful, because they help boost the healing process.
If you sustain severe damage or don’t respond to more conservative treatments, you could need surgery to repair the ligament. Fortunately, Dr. Saylor specializes in minimally invasive techniques, which come with high success rates as well as faster recovery times and fewer risks when compared to traditional surgery.
Did you sustain a sprain? Dr. Saylor can help you get on the road to recovery. To learn more, call 561-260-5993 to book an appointment with Orthopaedic Care Specialists today.
