People who sprain their ankles often fail to seek the proper medical treatment, which can turn a minor injury into a serious issue, a doctor said.
At a news conference on Thursday, Taipei City Hospital doctor Lee Shin-jung (李欣蓉) said that an ankle sprain is the most common sports injury, and it is common among people of all ages.
Lee said if an ankle sprain is not treated in a timely manner, it can leave the person prone to repeated ankle sprains, affecting their sports performances and daily life.
“The most common ankle sprain damages the tendon or ligaments around the ankle,” she said. “The treatment of ankle sprains can be separated into the acute phase and the recovery phase. For the first 48 to 72 hours after the injury, people can follow the “PRICE principle.”
The PRICE principle for treating sports injuries calls for “protecting” the ankle with a brace or splint, “resting” to allow damaged tissues to repair, “icing” to avoid inflammation, “compression” with elastic bandages to reduce swelling, and “elevation.”
She said that while some people believe traditional Chinese massage can help, this can worsen the condition if the injury has not only damaged the ligament, but also the bones.
Sprains have not fully recovered even when the pain wears off, so people should take care when they resume activities that put pressure on their ankles, wear appropriate shoes for physical activities and remember to warm up first, Lee said.
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