There are several ankle pain remedies and treatment options that are worth knowing. You can check out our guide here to learn more.
When your body is hurting and not performing at its best, it’s not only painful but frustrating; especially when you have an injury to your ankle. If it hurts to walk, that can completely put a damper into your everyday life.
Plus, if you’re an athlete, an ankle injury can get in the way of the game. Luckily, there are several ways to combat soreness and swelling, no matter if you’re dealing with a first-time injury or suffering from long-term pain.
With that said, the ankle pain remedies below will help get you to spring back into action.
Ankle Pain: Sprains and Injuries
A sprained ankle is one of the most common causes of a sore ankle. It’s caused by damage to the ligaments in the ankle which causes them to partially or fully tear as a result of sudden stretching.
This type of accident generally occurs through twisting the ankle during sports or by stepping on a slippery or uneven surface. If you sprain your ankle, you’ll know right away because it’s painful and it’s usually accompanied by a popping sound.
Furthermore, the area swells due to injured blood vessels, and it’s hard to move your ankle. The injury can also take place in both the inner and outer areas of the ankle joint.
Ankle Tendinitis
Another cause of ankle pain is tendonitis, which is inflammation of the tendon; it can also affect the Achilles tendon, peroneal tendon, or posterior tibial tendon. This kind of injury is usually a result of running or other inflammatory illnesses like reactive arthritis or rheumatoid arthritis.
However, no matter what causes the ankle tendonitis, it produces ankle pain when walking, swelling, and soreness.
Ankle Pain Remedies
When you hurt your ankle, you want to act fast. The worst thing you can do is to ignore the pain and not take the necessary steps to heal as quickly as possible. Here are some key remedies that will help you with your sore ankle:
1. PRP Therapy
There are some injuries that the ankle remedies above won’t treat. If you’re an athlete, chances are you’ve hurt yourself many times and have lasting pain.
In that case, Platelet-Rich Plasma therapy is a good option. It’s a regenerative treatment that uses your body’s cells to minimize pain and expedite healing. This technique is a preferred option for those who need intense care but want to avoid surgery.
2. Medication
One of the major causes of ankle pain is inflammation and taking medication that reduces swelling and pain is one of the best options. Since you can do ankle pain remedies to heal the outside, you should also take measures to heal the ankle from the inside.
Not to mention, you’ll want something to help ease the pain. Luckily, a sprained ankle isn’t a severe injury, so over-the-counter medication should work just fine.
3. RICE Method
The rice method is an effective Achilles tendonitis home treatment, as well as a good remedy for a sprained ankle. Rice is an acronym for rest, ice, compression, and elevation.
It’s best to start this technique soon after your injury or pain occurs so you can reduce your body’s natural inflammatory reaction.
Rest– The objective when resting is to stay off your ankle for a few days to ensure that it heals properly. The more you’re on the injury, the longer it takes to recover.
Ice– Ice helps to minimize swelling, so ice the area several times a day to help speed up the recovery time and reduce swelling.
Compression– Wrap and a static or elastic compression bandage around your injury to decrease swelling. By doing so, it helps to minimize the swelling of your ankle and gives it stability.
Elevation– Elevating your leg helps to reduce the flow of blood to the source of the injury; which helps to keep fluid off the area so that it doesn’t cause additional inflammation and swelling.
4. Epsom Salt
After a few days, it’s permissible to soak your ankle in warm water sprinkled with Epsom salt. The salt calms sore muscles and tissues and also loosens stiff joints.
Make sure you don’t do this technique in the beginning stages of the injury because cold methods are required to treat ankle inflammation and swelling
5. Natural Ankle Remedies
A good Achilles tendonitis home treatment can be found with items you already have in your home. There are lots of natural products that help with inflammation and the reduction of swelling.
Check your cabinets for items such as garlic, turmeric, olive oil, or castor oil. Then, warm up these ingredients, apply them to the site of the injury, and wrap a bandage around it for a few hours. This is a great idea for people who love using all-natural solutions instead of over the counter medication.
6. Analgesics
Another option for treating a sore ankle is using analgesics. This treatment works well for reducing pain but it won’t treat swelling. Look for over the counter creams such as being Bengay, Icy Hot, or Aspercreme to help reduce the soreness of the injury.
Recovery Made Easy
Thankfully, ankle pain remedies are simple to do and effective in getting you back on your feet. Having ankle pain when walking or inflammation does not feel good at all and the quicker you can fix the issue, the better. But sometimes, healing your ankle requires a professional help, which is the best option in severe cases.
If you’re in need of advanced treatment for your ankle pain, feel free to contact us. Our team of experts is here to help you recover and start feeling better than ever!