People are often in a hurry, do not notice obstacles, stumble, fall, hitting their foot. You can bruise your knee, ankle, or part of your lower leg. Further development is the same: the leg swells, it hurts, swelling begins, other pathologies... It happens that the patient twisted her leg, the leg is not swollen, but it hurts a lot. What to do?
Do not panic. Just because your foot isn't swollen doesn't mean it won't swell later. The sooner you deal with the problem, you have more confidence that the disease will not develop. Make an appointment with a traumatologist and tell us about your concerns.
After a fall, the leg hurts due to injury. Find the location of the injury to understand how to get rid of the pain.
The injury is followed by:
This happens if left untreated. Recommendation: If such manifestations occur, immediately go to the doctor. If the leg is twisted, but the leg is not swollen, the limb can be saved from complications.
Let’s say they diagnosed pain and decided that it was the result of a sprained leg. What to do next?
Check your foot for a fracture: wiggle your toes. If it works, there is no sharp pain, then the terrible thing is over. Go to a traumatologist before your leg swells.
To keep your foot relatively intact, take steps. The healthier you are when you go to the doctor, the easier it is to do clinical and laboratory tests that allow you to talk about the diagnosis and the cause of the pain. What they are doing:
There are not many recommendations on what to do in the first minutes of a bruise, but it is not difficult to follow. Don’t forget to see your doctor later: the sooner you make an appointment, the better. You can't walk around with an ice pack on your ankle all the time.
Even hearing a harsh diagnosis is already a relief. You don’t have to do anything blindly; recommendations for treatment are prescribed by a professional, based on individual characteristics. A trip to the doctor is not a substitute for a scientific article on the topic of the disease.
There are rules and guidelines. After diagnosis, at a consultation with a doctor (and a number of laboratory tests), it is necessary to take an x-ray. If during the consultation the doctor suspects a fracture, an x-ray will be taken immediately, before anything happens to the position of the leg. They will fix you in the right place, prescribe medications, send you home, asking you to come for consultations and physical treatments - massage, walking exercises.
Fractures are rarely admitted to hospital. Treatment takes place at home, at rest. The less you move, the better. Use traditional medicine after consulting with your doctor:
It is not difficult to protect your leg from further complications. If it’s twisted or dislocated and there’s no swelling, don’t worry: maybe it’s for the best. One complication was avoided, but another was to come. The main thing is to go to the doctor.
After treatment, take care of your leg and be careful when moving. The damaged muscle, bone, or joint can become inflamed. Not all lesions recover equally successfully. There is no need to despair - on the contrary! Don’t hang your nose, go for treatment if your leg hurts without swelling.
Often when we are in a hurry, especially if we are walking in high heels, we twist our legs. This can happen either when going down the stairs, chasing a minibus, moving on a slippery surface, or out of the blue - some “lucky” people manage to twist their ankle at home, unsuccessfully jumping to the top shelf of the closet. So what should a lady do who has twisted her leg (ankle or knee) and the limb is swollen and very painful? Let's look at what to do at first after getting injured and how to behave after the leg recovers.
It will certainly not be news to anyone that in case of any injury, you need to see a doctor, only he will make a diagnosis and tell you how to treat your leg. But what to do if you twisted your leg outside the city, and you still need to get to the nearest medical help, what to do in the first time after receiving such an injury?
After the leg has recovered, it needs to be taken care of - once stretched (torn) ligaments will make your leg susceptible to various injuries. Therefore, it is better to reduce walking in high heels. And of course, the ligaments need to be strengthened. For example, perform such simple exercises as walking alternately on your toes, heels, and the outside and inside of your feet. Summer walks barefoot on pebbles and sand are also useful. It’s a good idea to do a light massage at night in the area where the damage was.
I twisted my ankle, my ankle is swollen, what should I do? In this article, we will tell you what exactly can cause pain in the foot and swelling of the ankle, and we will also teach you how to provide first aid for such an injury.
Any girl who cares about her health, if she twists her ankle, will first go to a traumatologist. But what to do if there is no opportunity to visit the clinic, but your leg continues to hurt?
Nothing happens in the human body just like that. While diseases of internal organs develop under the influence of microbes and bacteria, damage to the extremities appears due to mechanical injuries. Any completely accidental twisting of a leg is fraught with a number of complications, among which modern medicine identifies the following:
So, as can be seen from the injuries listed above, if you twist your leg, you should not ignore the pain; it is likely that this is not a simple mechanical injury, but a fracture. The doctor will prescribe treatment tactics depending on the severity of the injury.
If you twist your leg, your ankle is swollen, you don’t know what to do and there is no way to seek medical help, then try to follow the recommendations below.
At home, the first thing you need to do is determine if there is a fracture. To do this, try to move the toes of the injured leg; if you can do this and there is no acute pain, then most likely it is a dislocation or sprain. If there are no bruises and the bone is not injured, treatment can be carried out at home. Immediately after an injury, try to immobilize the limb. If swelling is present, apply ice or a cold object. Such actions are effective only if the dislocation has occurred recently; after 20 hours, the cold will no longer help.
In order to fix the damaged joint, you will need to apply a bandage. Anything will do for this: an elastic bandage, gauze, a towel. You need to wrap your foot across, starting not from the edge, but from the middle. Do not tie the bandage too tightly to avoid turning your leg blue. To improve blood circulation in the leg, you need to place your foot on a hill. Abrasions and scratches should be immediately treated with brilliant green or hydrogen peroxide to avoid infection.
You can use a number of ointments sold in pharmacies without a prescription, for example: Troxevasin, Voltaren, Diclofenac and Nurofen . They have an analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect, so they can ease your suffering and relieve bruising.
If twisting your leg does not lead to a fracture, and you are sure of this without consulting a doctor, then it is recommended to take sea salt baths twice a day. This will relieve swelling and tension from the injured limb.
Since a person with little knowledge of medicine cannot prescribe medicine for himself, folk remedies in the form of compresses from improvised means will be very useful. The most effective are those prepared according to the following recipes:
You can speed up the recovery process after a twisted limb by daily self-massage of the leg and performing simple physical exercises. It is very important to give your leg a rest and stay in bed for at least a few days. It is necessary to protect the limb from the additional load that appears during walking.
Anyone can sprain a leg; no one is immune from this, but it is important to note that women are more susceptible to this type of injury.
I would like to advise girls not to use shoes that have too high a heel, so as not to suffer from a twisted leg or a swollen ankle. No fashionable shoe is worth the foot problems it can cause.
Do not neglect your health, take good care of it. Any change in the integrity and functionality of the joints should alert you and be a good reason to visit a doctor.
The ankle joint, another name for which is the ankle, is a complex articulation of three bones that keeps a person in an upright position. What should be done to prevent the ankle from swelling after, for example, a lady in high heels twisted her ankle or suffered a bruise?
A sedentary lifestyle leads to a weakening of the joint system, so when walking it is more difficult to maintain stability in the joint: the leg twists on slippery ice, the articular head comes out of the bursa, and dislocation occurs. To avoid this, you need to do gymnastics!
You can always do gymnastics at home. Walk around the apartment on the outside or inside of your feet, stretch your toes when sitting in front of the TV, and don’t forget to rotate your feet in a circle. In summer, walk barefoot on pebbles, grass, and sand. Scatter small objects (such as buttons) on the floor and collect them with your feet. Even if you work at a desk at home, roll a bottle or dumbbells with your feet.
High or low loads, bruises, ice, diseases of the musculoskeletal system are the causes of a dislocation, subluxation or sprain of the ankle. High heels are also the cause of complaints from girls: “I sprained my ankle!” Articular ligaments, synovial fluid, articular surface, pressure in the articular cavity, articular capsule - everything is involved in the strong connection of bones. The listed factors lead to a violation of the integrity of the articular apparatus.
The victim will certainly notice several symptoms.
If a person twists his leg or has a bruise, you do not need to determine what type of injury is in the joint; you must immediately call an ambulance. This is due to the fact that the symptoms of dislocation, subluxation, sprain and bruise are similar to each other. The damaged joint should definitely be checked with an x-ray to exclude the presence of a closed fracture, check the condition of the articular ligaments and the location of the bones. In a medical facility, if a sprain occurs, a splint will be applied to fix the ankle.
You should definitely calm down and not be nervous. Wherever the victim is, you need to provide him with peace and not step on the injured leg, even if the patient says: “I can go!” At home or indoors, you should place your foot on a bolster. Before applying a splint or bandage, clean the skin surface. If there is no damage, just a bruise, then remove dirt or dust with water or a dry cloth. For wounds, use hydrogen peroxide, potassium permanganate, iodine, brilliant green.
When a person is in a remote area, there is no way to call an ambulance or visit a doctor. In this case, an improvised splint is made that will ensure immobility (immobilization). A board, stick, or any available tool is suitable for this purpose.
If the leg is swollen, a bandage is applied to the joint to prevent the swelling from spreading to the ankle. You can bandage with gauze, a special elastic or simple bandage, a scarf, or improvised means. You need to start over the joint in a circle, then move to the foot, wrapping it transversely, and then return to the ankle in a figure-of-eight move. Repeat each movement twice, and secure the bandage at the end. When fixing your leg, be sure to leave your toes visible: their blueness indicates that the bandage is too tight and there is not enough blood flow.
To alleviate the condition, use ice after a bruise, and if possible, do not forget to use cold compresses. Use a towel or other soft material, soak it in cold water, and apply it to the joint. Keep it like this for ten minutes, then remove it for ten minutes. You can alternate for an hour. Cold slows down the movement of blood and lymph in the vessels, reduces the sensitivity of receptors, acting as an essential pain reliever when you twist your leg.
If the victim is in pain, give a painkiller: “Nise”, “Ketoral”, analgin. Anti-inflammatory and painkillers are useful for joints: Celecoxib, Ibuprofen, Diclofenac, Troxevasin.
A consultation with a doctor is required; he will evaluate the x-ray data and prescribe appropriate treatment.
Regeneration of articular structures takes a long time, so be patient. Try to keep the joint at rest as long as possible, otherwise excessive mobility can lead to re-dislocation. You can continue to relieve pain in the same way, apply bandages, massage, iodine mesh, warm baths and rub in warming ointments. After removing the splint, practice exercises to develop the ligaments. Girls will probably prefer a procedure with sea salt before bed to relieve pain. Immerse your foot in a bath with sea salt for ten minutes, the duration of the course is ten days.
If medical care is provided on time, treatment of the joint does not last for a long time.
A twisted leg is medically called an “ankle injury.” This injury is among the most common disorders of the musculoskeletal system.
The ankle is the area where the leg is most vulnerable, since this joint experiences significant load, which is 7 times higher than a person’s body weight.
About 15-20% of all cases of visits to the doctor with injuries to the lower extremities are due to injury to this joint. When the ankle is damaged and swollen, there is a great danger of losing the ability to work for a long time, moreover, disability may appear.
In 50-60% of cases, the fact that the ankle is swollen and broken is recorded. In 75% of cases there is external damage.
You can injure your ankle not only by performing sports exercises. These loads account for only a sixth of all injuries. The remaining cases are domestic injuries. It turns out that a person twisted his leg after walking, jumping from a small height or running for a short time.
Problems with the ankle joint occur more often in women, because they constantly wear uncomfortable shoes. After 50 years, in both sexes, tissue elasticity and bone strength decrease, which increases the risk of injury.
Most people injure their ankles in the winter, when there is ice everywhere. Provoking factors for a person to twist his leg are physical inactivity, congenital joint defects, and excess weight.
The ankle is a trochlear joint that connects the foot to the lower leg. Mobility and strength of the joint are provided by muscles, bones and ligaments.
The articular surfaces of the bones (tibia and fibula) wrap around the talus like a fork. This block from below rests on the heel bone.
The articular surfaces of all bones are surrounded by an articular capsule, which has two layers. To facilitate sliding in the joint, there is a certain amount of synovial fluid inside.
Ligaments are strong bundles of connective fiber. Ligaments hold bones in the correct position. There are 4 groups of ligaments:
Now let's look at the ligaments in detail. Internal group of ligaments. On the inside of the joint there is a deltoid ligament. It is needed to connect the ankle and the bone to each other.
Outer group of ligaments. The function is to keep the talus from moving to the side. We are talking about the calcaneofibular, posterior talofibular and anterior ligaments. These outer groups of ligaments are the most commonly injured.
Ligaments of the tibiofibular syndesmosis. These ligaments connect the shin bones to each other and prevent the foot from rotating too much outward and inward. This is the posterior transverse, tibiofibular syndesmosis,
In a person who sprained his ankle, the ankle was swollen because the outer group of ligaments, specifically the anterior talofibular ligament, was damaged.
Tendons are bundles of connective tissue that attach muscles to bones. The ankle joint includes the Achilles tendon. The Achilles tendon is the strongest in the human body. It attaches three calf muscles to the heel bone, allowing flexion of the foot.
The Achilles tendon runs along the back of the joint. Often this tendon bears heavy loads and is often injured when a person twists his leg.
Muscles of the ankle joint. Foot flexor muscles, which are located on the back of the joint:
Foot extensor muscles, which are located on the front surface of the ankle:
Injury to the ankle muscles is quite rare. The only exception is an open fracture of the ankle joint.
Nerves of the ankle joint. The ankle is innervated by 2 nerves: the deep peroneal and tibial nerves. If they are irritated, then the person feels pain when injured.
Vessels of the ankle joint. The joint is provided with blood supply from two arteries: the anterior and posterior tibial, as well as the peroneal.
These joints are highly branched to supply blood to the ligaments, muscle and joint capsule. Lymphatic flow is carried out by lymphatic vessels.
The consequences of an ankle injury depend on which joint structures are damaged.
Ankle sprains, like any sprain in the leg, are microscopic injuries to some of the collagen fibers that make up the ligaments. When stretched, damage occurs at the cellular level. As a rule, a sprain occurs after the heel is turned inward.
A person can walk and do something, but at the same time he experiences pain. Due to the high ability of cells to recover, the ligament grows together after 10 days. This injury is painful, but with proper treatment it will go away without a trace in a few weeks.
An ankle ligament tear is an incomplete rupture of several or one ligament. Here we note that:
An ankle ligament rupture is a complete rupture of the ligament, sometimes even a separation of the ligament from the bone in the area of its attachment. With such an injury, a person hears the sound of a tearing ligament, he cannot do anything.
After this, severe piercing pain occurs if you try to stand on your leg. A plaster cast is needed because the ankle is swollen and needs to be fixed. Treatment continues for up to 8 weeks.
Subluxation of the ankle joint. If the external ligaments are torn, the talus bone may become displaced in relation to the ankle bones. Subluxation is distinguished from dislocation by the angle of displacement of the talus, which is determined using radiographic examination.
Dislocation of the ankle joint. The integrity of the joint and the structure of the joint capsule are compromised. Dislocation can only occur when the ligament is torn.
Fracture of the ankle bones. Such an injury in many cases is accompanied by partial or complete rupture of the ligaments, or dislocation. A fracture can occur if you do certain physical exercises without preparation, running or jumping from a height.
The foot twists or an impact occurs and the bone breaks. Recovery from a fracture, provided there is no displacement of the fragments, takes up to 6 weeks.
If both bones of the ankle are fractured with displacement, therapy must be done for more than 4 months.
First of all, it is necessary to ensure a state of rest. Do not step on your sore leg. You should lie down or sit down, placing the swollen joint in an elevated position.
You need to place a pillow under your foot so that your foot is above the level of your heart. This position helps reduce swelling of the periarticular tissues.
Take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, for example, ibuprofen, nimesulide, paracetamol or analgin to relieve pain. Cooling ointment with diclofenac is also used locally.
Tight bandage. To prevent the joint from swelling and to keep it fixed, a tight figure-of-eight bandage is used. The bandage should start from the heel. It is applied so that each subsequent layer covers the previous one by 4 cm.
Immobilize the ankle. When pathological mobility appears, the foot begins to move from side to side, it is important to fix it. An L-shaped tire, which can be made from available materials, is suitable for these purposes. The leg is tied to the splint using a scarf or bandage.
Contact a traumatologist who will conduct an examination and determine why the joint is swollen and prescribe treatment.
It is important to remember what to do when your ankle is injured, swollen or painful. The speed of recovery and quality of joint function in the future depends on how quickly a person consults a doctor, and this is discussed in the video in this article.
What to do if you twist your leg is a question that is often heard in the office of traumatologists. This pathology is very common, especially in women who wear heels. It’s interesting that a completely healthy person can sprain their ankle; all they have to do is stumble on an uneven or slippery surface.
If you twist your ankle and have pain in your ankle, it is better to go to the emergency room to rule out a serious pathology. The ankle joint does serious work and supports the entire weight of the body; after an injury, it is easily destroyed, a person can become disabled, so treatment of any injury must be timely and correct.
You can determine the severity of the injury by the appearance of the leg and your own sensations. There are the following injuries that can occur if you twist your leg:
First aid step by step
If you cannot put any weight on your leg, the first step is to call an ambulance. You can take the patient to the hospital on your own, but the leg must be immobilized and not stepped on, so as not to worsen the patient’s condition. If a fracture occurs, then when you try to stand on your leg, a painful shock and displacement of bone fragments may occur.
For fractures and dislocations, it is very important to contact a traumatologist in the first hours after the injury, since the joint and sometimes the bones have to be realigned. If the injury begins to heal incorrectly, it will not be possible to correct it using a conservative method; the person will most likely limp for the rest of his life unless he decides to undergo a difficult and expensive operation.
Immediately after an injury, it is recommended to provide first aid to the victim, and then go to the doctor:
If you twist your leg, you need to contact a traumatologist. This specialist will examine the affected limb and prescribe the necessary tests. If a fracture is suspected, the patient is sent for an x-ray; the image will also show subluxation or dislocation of the joint. If soft tissues are damaged, they are sent for an ultrasound.
Usually these tests are enough to detect the injury and prescribe treatment. But in some cases, a puncture of joint fluid, MRI, blood tests and other procedures may be required. All prescriptions are made by the doctor, taking into account the patient’s condition and establishing a preliminary diagnosis.
Treatment depends on the type of injury:
After a few days or weeks, depending on the severity of the injury, the patient is prescribed physical treatment, for example, magnetic therapy, UHF, and physical therapy. These procedures will help to gradually restore the motor activity of the leg, normalize blood circulation and strengthen the muscles. Also, during the treatment period, you need to eat healthy and healthy so that the tissues recover faster. For fractures, a special diet with calcium and gelatin is indicated.
Hematoma on the lower leg
Twisted legs can be treated using folk remedies, but only in a comprehensive manner. As they say, there must be moderation in everything, so you should not completely abandon visiting a doctor and using medications, as well as applying all prescribed ointments along with folk remedies. Incorrect treatment can lead to skin damage and further problems with the leg.
The following recipes will help relieve pain and reduce inflammation:
Every person is interested in what to do to avoid such an unpleasant injury. Of course, you can’t completely rule out twisting your ankle, because it’s usually an accident, but you can reduce the risk of serious injuries if you follow the following recommendations:
If the patient consults a doctor on time, completely unloads the leg and follows all the recommendations, then the prognosis is generally favorable. With injuries to bones, joints and ligaments, stagnant processes in tissues can occur, followed by inflammation and degenerative changes. The most dangerous complications are arthritis, arthrosis, osteomyelitis and other joint diseases.
The ankle is one of the most vulnerable places in a person’s leg, because it supports the weight of the entire body; it is not surprising that it is very easy to injure. It often happens that a woman, walking in heels, twists her ankle, her ankle is swollen, what to do in such a situation? The most important thing is timely provision of first aid, then examination, diagnosis and treatment.
You can twist your ankle by tripping on an uneven surface, walking in high-heeled shoes, catching up with departing traffic, and even on a flat surface. The main thing is that after your leg has sprained, you must immediately take measures that will prevent the consequences of such an injury.
A sprained leg can be dangerous because it often leads to various injuries, ranging from sprained ligaments in the ankle joint to bone fractures. If a person twists his leg, he may face the following problems:
In order to determine the type of injury that occurred if the leg was twisted, a detailed examination of the victim is carried out. Without fail, the doctor prescribes an X-ray examination, which will show whether the bones of the ankle are intact, an MRI or computed tomography, which helps assess the condition of the ligamentous apparatus and tests. Based on the results of the examination, treatment tactics are developed and appropriate prescriptions are made.
If there are no symptoms other than slight pain, then most likely the muscles, ligaments and bones are not damaged. The following signs may indicate more serious damage to the ankle joint:
If you have symptoms that prevent you from walking normally, and that are present even when the leg is at rest, you should contact a trauma center.
What to do if a person twists his leg and his ankle is swollen? This is the first and main question for a person who has received such an injury. And not in vain, because the duration and effectiveness of treatment, as well as the future presence or absence of complications and consequences, depend on how quickly and correctly first aid is provided. So, if a woman, while rushing somewhere, twisted her ankle, then the first actions should be as follows:
After providing first aid, you must go to the emergency room to make a diagnosis. It is better to do this by taxi or ambulance, so as not to further injure the ankle joint.
What to do if you twist your leg is now clear, but there are some actions that are prohibited after receiving such an injury:
By doing all the necessary things and not doing what is not necessary, you can increase the chance of a quick recovery.
Treatment for ankle injuries will depend on the type of injury that occurred. If a dislocation occurs, the doctor realigns the joint, after which a splint is placed on the ankle. If a tendon rupture or bone fracture occurs, a plaster cast is necessary. Before this, the tendons can be stitched together, and broken bones can be placed in the correct position. If the injury is not so serious, then you can get by with pharmaceuticals and physiotherapeutic procedures (electrophoresis, UHF, paraffin heating, massage).
Ointments with a cooling effect can include Bengin, Troxevasin, and menthol ointment. In order to improve blood circulation and prevent the formation of a blood clot, Lyoton and Heparin are suitable. To relieve swelling, reduce pain and inflammation, Fastum-gel, Diclofenac and Ketanol are recommended.
If the doctor allows, then supplement the treatment with traditional methods, for example, baths with the addition of sea salt, as well as compresses of vodka, warm milk, tansy, ginger, mountain arnica, green tea. In addition, you can make lotions using infusions of calendula, comfrey, elecampane, marjoram, St. John's wort and wheat. Vegetables such as cabbage, potatoes, onions, and garlic will help cope with the symptoms of damage.
If a person twists his leg, what should he do after the basic treatment has been completed? To resume normal motor function, you should engage in physical therapy, gradually develop your foot, doing simple physical exercises.
To prevent injuries that occur if you twist your ankle, you should always look at your feet and take your time. When going down the steps, hold on to the railing. The heel on the shoe should be stable and not very high. Following these recommendations will help you maintain full physical activity.