Imagine this for a moment.
You have finally mustered up the courage to step out into the wilderness to hike with friends this weekend.
The weather seemed fine. The breeze was perfect. And yet, you slip all of a sudden.
When you get, you find that nothing hurts except your ankle.
Now, what to do?
The deed is done already. You have sprained the ankle in the wilderness. The next step is to stop panicking and treat the sprained ankle temporarily. Honestly, it isn’t an easy feat to diagnose a sprained ankle, especially when you are in the middle of nowhere. At the same time, you just can’t leave it like that and let the pain elevate.
So, let’s check out the easy steps for ankle sprain treatment even when you are in the wilderness or away from advanced treatment facilities. But, before that, let’s analyze the possible causes along with the signs & symptoms.
What are the possible causes of ankle sprain in the wilderness?
The common causes of ankle sprain outdoors are:
- You may trip while walking in the forest
- Stepping over logs can cause ankle sprains
- Putting on an excruciating heavy backpack can cause the same problem.
- Falling suddenly or shovelling snow can also exert abnormal strain on feet muscles, thereby causing ankle sprains.
No matter what the reason is, it triggers tremendous pain to the extent that you will not be able to move your feet even by an inch. And ankle sprain treatment is mandatory in this situation to ensure the damage doesn’t go out of control.
How does an ankle sprain look like?
You know that’s an ankle sprain when you experience any of the following:
- Pain or tenderness
- Discoloration along with swelling
- Inability to withstand the weight
- Deformity
- Loss of range of motion
The most significant symptom of an ankle sprain is severe pain. You may even hear the sound of pop when you sprain the ankle, followed by swelling and redness in the area.
What about the temporary ankle sprain treatment?
Let’s be clear first. It is ALWAYS better to visit a professional physiotherapist for ankle sprain treatment. However, if you need to apply immediate first aid, here’s what you should do:
- Apply ice for a short period of time. Applying for long periods of time might suppress the swelling but worsens the healing process. You can apply ice 3-4 times a day and for 20 minutes only.
- You can also use compression wraps to provide support to your ankles and reduce the swelling. Use socks to create a padding effect on the injury and wrap it with an elastic bandage.
- Medications such as ibuprofen can help ease the pain to some extent.
- Elevate the sprained ankle to reduce the throbbing pain and get some sleep
Besides the techniques mentioned here, you should also try your best not to panic. Keep yourself calm and focus on the tips mentioned above.