Many people think ankle sprains are simple and not very serious. Ankle sprains, whether severe or mild, can lead to lasting physical consequences if you do not seek medical attention. Severe ankle sprains can contribute to joint instability for adults and children and joint deformities for children.
When the Sprain Occurs
When you suffer an ankle sprain, even if you think it's "less serious" than a bone fracture, visit your doctor. Make sure you haven't broken a bone along with spraining your ankle. Sprains are graded on levels from one to three. Full ligament tears are graded at a "three," meaning a sprain this severe can be more serious than an actual fracture. If you have a grade three sprain, you will need medical attention, wrapping, ice, elevation and physical therapy to return your ankle to full strength and range of motion.
If you decide not to see your doctor for "just a sprain," keep in mind that, when your ankle does eventually heal, you run the risk of weakness and looseness in that ankle. You won't be able to participate in the same activities you did before you got hurt because of the instability of your ankle joint.
Also consider that you will need to retrain the nerves in your foot once you heal, making that another compelling reason to visit a doctor when you sprain your ankle.
If the Swelling Won't Go Down
If you're sure you just sprained your ankle and decided not to see your doctor for this reason, you may end up changing your mind if the swelling and pain don't go away. Your doctor or the doctor in the emergency department may decide to order an X-ray because he is thinking of a possible bone fracture instead of an ankle sprain.
If you have just sprained your ankle, it is better to visit the doctor and receive a diagnosis of an ankle sprain than it would be to delay medical attention and run the risk of long-term damage from an undiagnosed fracture. Call your doctor and ask him to fit you in.
Pediatric Ankle Sprains
If your child falls and sprains her ankle and complains of pain, she is doing so for a reason. Children are at an especially high risk of permanent damage from broken bones and sprained ankles because their bones and growth plates are not completely developed or grown. If your daughter suffered an especially severe sprain (grade three), she could develop a deformity in her foot that will remain even after the sprain itself has healed. For this reason, if no other, take her to her pediatrician or the emergency department for medical attention and treatment.
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