Ankles are most vulnerable body part to injury.

The ankle is made up of bones, ligaments, tendons and muscles, which are made to bear the weight of your body. Often times the ankle is actually one of the most vulnerable body parts to injury and pain. Ankle pain can be felt anywhere from the inside or outside of your ankle, as well as along your Achilles tendon. Ankle pain can indicate a serious problem, so any severe ankle pain should be examined by a doctor. Most ankle pain is the result of a sprain, which occurs when your ankle rolls over your foot, causing an ankle ligament to stretch or tear. Other common causes of ankle pain include Achilles tendonitis, Achilles tendon rupture, avulsion fracture, broken ankle, gout, osteoarthritis, strained ankle and stress fractures. These injuries often occur when walking on an uneven surface or taking a misstep. Although often viewed as a minor injury, spraining your ankle can keep you out of most physical activities including sports, and may even cause you to lose your job. If this injury occurred during an automobile accident where you were not at fault or a slip and fall due to someone else's carelessness, our injury law firm may be able to assist you.

When an ankle is sprained, the tissue is injured and will inflame. The blood vessels will become permeable and permit fluid to leak into the soft tissue around the joint. Symptoms of inflammation include swelling and pain since the nerves are more sensitive. The joint may throb and the pain can get worse with foot movement or when the area is pressed upon. Any redness and warmth is another symptom of inflammation, which is caused by increased blood flow to the ankle.

With ankle injuries, immediate attention is vital. Something you can do to help reduce pain and aid towards healing before you can reach your podiatric physician is to use the R.I.C.E. method: rest, ice, compression, and elevate. Resting the ankle prevents stress and further injury on the tissue, so have your ankle joint rest in a brace or splint. If you ice the injury, it will help to minimize the pain, along with any swelling, warmth or redness. It also counteracts the increased blood flow to the injured ankle. Compressing the ankle with an elastic wrap adds support and can also prevent inflammation. It's important to remember not to wrap the area too tightly. And lastly, elevating the ankle as a high as possible will assist the body to soak up fluid that has poured out into the tissue. You want to elevate the ankle high enough so that it is above your heart level.

It is important to strengthen your ankle after it has been sprained. You can do this by participating in strengthening movements, which include isometric, isotonic and proprioceptive exercises. After being treated by your doctor, you must have a brace or cast to decrease any motion, along with crutches to keep weight off the injured ankle. The most frequent medication used for ankle sprains are Ibuprofen (Motrin and Advil) or naproxen (Aleve or Naprosyn). These are anti-inflammatory pain medications designed to decrease the pain and swelling. If you are unable to put any weight on your foot or have pain at your malleolus, you are likely to receive an X-ray.

    

About the Editors: Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton is a Virginia (VA) injury law firm whose attorneys focus exclusively on personal injury and accident law. We have a proven track record in the court room, and you can review our case results to see for yourself. We have offices in Virginia Beach and Hampton, but we're ready to come to you anywhere in VA if you've been seriously hurt by the carelessness of another person or company.

Virginia injury lawyers Rick Shapiro and James Lewis have been recognized as among the Best Lawyers in America since 2008. Shapiro and Lewis have also been selected by the National Million Dollar Advocates Forum since 2009. Rick, Jim and Randy have been named Virginia Super Lawyers for Personal Injury Law (Jim since '06, Rick since '10, and Randy since '12). This is a prestigious recognition that only 5 percent of lawyers receive.

We were the first injury law firm in Virginia to join Primerus, a select group of highly ethical and respected law firms. Our Virginia Beach accident injury firm has the highest rating of AV from Martindale-Hubbell, a national lawyer ranking organization, which means we have a reputation for preeminent legal skill. 

We also offer free special reports and edit the Virginia Beach Injuryboard and Norfolk Injuryboard blog sites as a public information service.

Our attorneys have deep roots in Virginia and handle cases throughout the commonwealth including Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Newport News, Hampton and Suffolk, VA. 

While not every injury case meets our criteria, we offer free initial confidential consultations, so call us toll free at (800) 752-0042. If you cannot get through due to the high call volume, please leave a voicemail and we will get back to you shortly.