How long does it take for a sprain to heal?

Sprains are one of the most common injuries. The joints have very resistant fibrous tissues better known as ligaments that are responsible for helping movement and connecting two bones.

When tears or stretching are performed, that is when what we know as a sprain occurs. The severity will depend on the extension of the ligament, depending on how the injury was, for example, an ankle sprain can be greater or less reaching different degrees. It can also occur in the knee, wrist or fingers.

Causes

The causes of these injuries come from unnatural movement of the joint, blow, sprain or fall.

• Ankle sprain is very common when playing sports or walking through uneven places, so spraining the ankle is more common.
• Wrist pain occurs when you rest your hand when you fall and suffer a very sudden blow.
• It is more complicated to happen with the knee, however, with an aggressive twist of the knee while doing physical activity this injury can occur.
• It is very difficult to have it on the fingers of your hands unless you practice sports such as skiing, tennis or basketball. It is when the ligaments are overstretched.

Therefore, the injury to these ligaments is related to different reasons such as muscle fatigue, lack of muscle conditioning, depending on the type of surface or using footwear that does not correspond to the terrain or the sport.

On the other hand, the symptoms of a sprain may depend on where it occurred and the severity. The usual thing is pain, inflammation, hematoma, reduced mobility of the affected area and local heat.

Types of ligament injuries

Grade 1 sprain

This is the mildest injury, there is excessive stretching of the ligament, but there is no tear. There is slight pain in the area that has been affected and perhaps a small bruise. However, the joint performs normal movements.

Grade 2 sprain

Usually, there is a partial or complete tear of the ligaments, there is pain and the joint cannot be fully moved. The inflammation is noticeable and the hematoma can be seen.

Grade 3 sprain

It is the most serious of injuries. It is a total ligament tear and the joint has no room for movement. The consequences are intense pain, inflammation and hematoma. It is impossible for the patient to step on and be able to support himself to walk.

Duration of injury

Everything will depend on the degree of the sprain you have suffered. Treatment will be different if it is a more severe or mild sprain. But in general the sprain is an easily treatable injury. Sprains can begin to be treated within the first 24 hours, during which you must apply ice and remain at rest with your foot elevated.

Grade 1 sprain

As we said before, this sprain is very mild, therefore, it does not take long to recover. Most likely, after the first session you will be able to walk away.

Grade 2 sprain

Approximately after the second session you can see great relief

Grade 3 sprain

This is the most serious injury and exhaustive care must be taken when carrying out its treatment. At least it is usually about 3 months of recovery and with continuous visits to your trusted professional so that circulation and ligaments are not affected by the time you have been disabled. Osteopathic treatment greatly accelerates recovery and has given the best results in this type of sprains. However, sometimes surgery is necessary, so going to the traumatologist beforehand is essential.

How is this injury healed?

To heal a sprain it is true that you have to be patient, but one of the things you have to try is to lower the inflammation and reduce the pain. To do this, the important thing is to follow a series of tips.

Cold: Apply ice for about 10 minutes once the injury has occurred. This will be done every 2 hours in the first 48 hours. You cannot abuse the time with ice, it is not advisable to freeze the area.

Elevation: It is advisable that the part where you suffer the sprain, be it knee, hand, ankle… must be kept high, above the level of the heart, to reduce inflammation.

Rest: Very important to follow strictly. Depending on the degree of the injury, but you do not have to support yourself for at least 24 hours.

Immobilization: It is good to immobilize the area as long as this does not affect or aggravate other injuries or the same. A good bandage that is not too tight is very convenient.

Before going to the professional, it is necessary to have x-rays to rule out a bone break that would make treatment impossible until it is healed. Once the break has been ruled out, the osteopath, after analyzing the damage suffered, will begin osteopathic manipulations, repositioning those that are in dysfunction, which are usually:

• Compression of the tibiotarsal joint
• Anterior talus, or anterior tibia, which limits ankle dorsiflexion
• Dysfunction of the lower peroneotibial joint.
• Inferiority of the cuboid-scaphoid pair.
• Internal calcaneus or varus.
• superiority of the 2nd cuneiform or alteration of the metatarsals.
• Head of the posterior fibula.
• Posterior iliac on the same side
• Possible adaptations in the spine

After treatment, proprioceptive exercises are performed to strengthen ankle balance.

All the different sprains produced in the rest of the joints are treated in a similar way, varying, of course, the joints, muscles, and tissues that are affected in each of them.

If you suffer another injury of such magnitude again, do not hesitate to call oteopathy and massage , professionalism next to home, in the heart of Madrid. Go back to walking and exercising without any problem.