How to treat a sprained ligament in your leg. Sprained ligaments: treatment and further recovery. How to treat a sprain What to do with a severe sprain

Sprain- a very common type of injury, often resulting from an unsuccessful turn, a fall, a sharp load on the joint. Most often, sprains of the ankle and hand ligaments occur, less often - the shoulder and elbow joints.

What should be done when sprained ligaments?

The first thing to do when you have a sprain is to attach to the injury site. It will help relieve pain and prevent swelling. Such compresses are most effective in the first three hours after injury, and subsequently it is required to apply a fixing bandage.

If the injury is received in conditions where it is not possible to make a compress, it is necessary to immediately immobilize the injured joint by applying a tight bandage (usually an elastic bandage is used for this purpose).

Warm compresses and warming ointments should not be used for sprains, this will only increase swelling and aggravate the condition.

When spraining the ligaments of the leg, you need to make sure that the leg, while at rest, should be slightly raised. To do this, put a pillow or roller under it. This position will help reduce swelling.

First of all, the treatment consists in the complete absence of loads and ensuring the rest of the damaged limb.

Ligaments are bundles of connective tissue that surround and provide them with protection from external influences, mobility and strength. If the fibers of these bundles are damaged, partially or completely torn (due to great physical exertion or a sharp, atypical movement - for example, when the leg is tucked), sprain occurs. Its characteristic: severe pain in the joint area, as well as the appearance of edema there, in some cases a bruise may appear.

The most common are ankle and knee sprains.

Ligament or muscle strain can occur in almost anyone, for example, if you fall, pull your shoulder. But most often this trouble happens to people who lead an active lifestyle.

What to do when sprained ligaments

If a person has received an injury, the symptoms of which indicate a possible sprain, the following must be performed. First of all, ensure rest and immobility of the injured limb. Tightly fix with or any improvised means, for example, a scarf, scarf, strips of matter.

In the event of a likely rupture of the ligaments, as evidenced by severe pain and excessive joint mobility, splints should be placed on both sides of the joint (for example, from board scraps, plywood, pieces of hard plastic).

Since it is often difficult for people who are ignorant of medicine to distinguish stretched from more serious injuries - dislocation and, it is advisable to take the victim to a medical institution or call a doctor to him.

How should the victim be helped? A cloth soaked in cold water or an ice pack should be applied to the damaged area. The cold will reduce pain and swelling. But there is no need to use heat. To reduce swelling, it is also recommended to give the injured limb an elevated position.

You can also apply an ointment or gel with analgesic and anti-inflammatory components, such as Fastum-gel or Nurofen-gel, to the affected joint.

To reduce pain, use folk remedies. You can apply grated raw potatoes or ground aloe leaves to the injured area.

These simple but effective methods will minimize the chance of complications after such an injury, and

What to do with muscle strain should be known to both athletes and people. away from sports. Muscle strain occurs when a muscle or ligament is overloaded during active physical exercise or during the movement of gravity. If you stretched a muscle, then you will certainly feel pain in the damaged area. And there will be bruising and swelling at the stretch site. Naturally, it is preferable to consult a doctor for qualified help, but there are also minor sprains that can be cured on their own if you know what to do with muscle strain.

First step. Take a special anti-inflammatory drug (non-steroidal). For example, aspirin, ibuprofen. The medicine will quickly relieve the pain and reduce the swelling that has occurred after the injury.

Second step. Try not to use the damaged muscle, so as not to aggravate the situation. Do this when stretching the muscles should be within the first 36 hours. Crutches and canes will greatly reduce the load on the injured muscle and speed up your recovery.

Third step. When stretching the muscles, nothing needs to be done heavy. Let the damaged area rest. Depending on the severity of the injury, muscle function should be restricted for 24-72 hours after the injury. Be sure to apply cold to the injured area, so you reduce pain and swelling, and also speed up tissue regeneration. Ice should not touch bare skin, so put it in a plastic bag or towel. Avoid exposure to heat on the affected area for three days, as there is a risk of increasing pain and swelling.

Fourth step. Specialists advise doing the following when stretching muscles. Wrap the injured area with a special elastic bandage. To reduce internal bleeding and swelling, wear a tight bandage for three days after the injury. Compression bandages reduce inflammation well, and also limit blood flow to the injured area.

Fifth step. Raise the injured area as high as possible. If you do the following while stretching the muscle, it will be much easier. Raising the muscle above the level of the heart will reduce blood flow, which in turn will reduce pain and swelling.

Sprains or muscle strains often occur in athletes or people who lead an active lifestyle. In most situations, this trouble passes quickly. But so that the painful process does not drag on, you need to know how to provide first aid.

The above tips will help reduce the chance of complications after a sprain. The recovery period takes from five to ten days. If during this time the problem does not go away, do not delay and consult a doctor.

The ankle joint is one of the most important joints in the human body, and most of the body's weight rests on it. What to do with an ankle sprain and how to prevent the problem?

Ligaments are strong, flexible fibers that hold bones together. A sprain is a closed injury to the ligaments around a joint. Sprain is an insidious and dangerous injury, but with quick and competent actions, it can be dealt with as soon as possible. If you do not start treatment in a timely manner or treat the sprain incorrectly, the rehabilitation process can drag on for a long time.

Causes of sprains

The main cause of sprains are sudden movements in the joint, exceeding the physical capabilities of a person. A similar injury can be obtained anywhere at home, at home, on the street, in the gym and at the stadium. A sharp awkward movement, an unsuccessful landing, a fall, slipping, when the heel is tucked inward, can cause injury - the joint loses its normal position, and the ligament that supports it can stretch, tear or tear.

Quite often, sprains occur during sports. It's for wrestlers, tennis players, soccer players and basketball players. Also, the injury often occurs in winter due to ice.

The case of stretching is also typical for fashionistas who prefer shoes with high heels. Such shoes increase the risk of twisting the foot, resulting in stretching occurs.

Sprain symptoms

• Joint or muscle pain
• Hyperemia (edema)
• Limitation of joint mobility

Depending on the severity of the injury, there may also be observed: an increase in body temperature, a noticeable bruising in the soft tissues.

Degrees of sprain

• Grade I sprain - slight pain
• Grade II sprain - moderate pain, swelling, disability
• Grade III sprain - severe pain, joint instability

If a popping or crunching sound is heard during the injury, it means that the sprain is severe, and ligament rupture or bone damage is likely. Depending on the severity of the injury, the victim may simply be uncomfortable walking, or he may not be able to move at all.

First aid for sprains

If a sprain is suspected, it is advisable to take measures immediately, on the spot.

• Help should begin with immobilization of the damaged area.
• Ice should be applied to the injured area to reduce swelling. Wrap the ice in a cloth. Do not apply ice directly to the skin. Ice should be applied for 10-15 minutes, with a break of about half an hour. This should be done on the first day after the injury.
• Place a bandage around the affected area to limit movement. Use a splint if necessary.
• If the sprain is severe, rest the affected joint for a few days.

If you are worried about pain, use ointments containing anesthetics, anti-inflammatory drugs and analgesics, take dimexide, ibuprofen or other painkillers. In addition, the victim is recommended to drink plenty of fluids.

Use a fixation bandage on the injured area until the pain subsides. It usually takes 7-10 days for a moderate sprain and several weeks for a severe one. Your doctor may recommend that you use crutches during your recovery period.

When to See a Doctor

• If there is reason to think that you have a fracture
• In case of severe pain in the injured area
• If the swelling does not go away within 2 days
• You have symptoms of an infection: redness, sore skin, or a temperature above 37.7 0 C.
• If the pain does not go away within a few weeks

Traumatologist-orthopedist

With skiing and similar injuries, ligament ruptures are not uncommon, which later manifest themselves as chronic pain and instability.

Rehabilitation after an injury

In order to return the ligaments and joint to work after a complex injury, special physical exercises, massage and physiotherapy are required. If the injury is mild, supportive treatment is carried out - a fixing bandage, anti-inflammatory ointments, antispasmodics and drugs that strengthen the walls of blood vessels (troxerutin, etc.), ensuring a state of rest.

Traumatologist-orthopedist, Kyiv

When the anterior cruciate ligament is ruptured, surgery is almost always indicated for patients with an active lifestyle, including for the prevention of joint wear.

Orthopedist Nikolay Karpinsky: “Therapeutic exercise helps to restore the range of motion that was before the injury and the balance that the joint gives when supported. The ligament is damaged not only mechanically, but the nerve endings that it contains are also damaged. Our balance is controlled by small receptors that lie in the thickness of the ligaments and give accurate information about how much the joint is stretched into the brain and then we can keep our balance. When the ligaments are damaged, not only their mechanical function is disturbed, but also the sense of balance. Therefore, exercises on balance boards are most relevant for recovery.

Ways to prevent injury

While there is no one-size-fits-all way to help protect against sprains, there are some steps you can take. The following actions will help reduce the risk of sprains:

• Wear special footwear during activities that place stress on the ankle or other joints.
• Avoid high heels.
• Always warm up and stretch before starting a workout.