Start your recovery today, reduce pain and return your ankle to full function.
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A sprained ankle is very common but can be incredibly difficult to manage. It generally happens when you roll or twist your ankle and stretch or tear the ligaments. Most of the time, this occurs on the ligaments on the outside of your foot when you roll your ankle outwards or laterally. But can also affect the inside ligaments.
You may find it difficult to walk or place any pressure on your foot/ankle, and the ankle area feels quite tender. There may also be swelling and inflammation around the injury. If this sounds familiar, you have likely sprained your ankle and should book in for an assessment.
If you have recently suffered a sprained ankle or suffered another ankle injury, our experienced team can see you promptly (we can generally see patients within 24 hours), diagnose your injury and set in place a rehabilitation programme to get you back on your feet and pain free.
You may also qualify to be placed on the Careway Programme , fully funded by ACC and, importantly, at no cost to you.
It provides injured New Zealanders with better and faster access to great healthcare services. All with the aim of getting you injury free. Careway is a fully funded programme from ACC, which means no cost for your physiotherapy or if you need it, consultations with a Sport and Exercise Physician or Orthopaedic Surgeon, or any radiology scans (like x-rays or MRIs).
In your first consultation with your physiotherapist, you will be assessed to see if your injury qualifies. If it does, a dedicated team will work with you to set goals and to design a care plan that meets your needs. That may just involve physiotherapy or include assessments and treatment from other specialists. You will remain under the care of Careway until you have recovered.
All patients must first be diagnosed and assessed before being placed on to the Careway pathway. Generally speaking, however, if you have suffered a severe knee injury, you have a good chance of qualifying.
Most importantly, make an appointment to be seen. The longer you wait, the worse the injury could get and the longer it will take to recover. Then, you simply want to give your ankle a break and let it begin to heal.
For sprained ankles follow RICE:
REST. This will keep weight of the injury and help prevent further damage.
ICE. This helps reduce swelling and eases pain. Ice the injured area with an ice pack, ice cubes in a tea towel, or the old bag of peas. Don’t apply ice on for longer than 15 to 20 minutes at a time. Wait 40 to 45 minutes (you want your ankle to be at a normal temperature) then apply again.
COMPRESSION. Wrap your ankle with an elastic bandage or off-the-shelf compression wrap. This will help support it and reduce the risk of further injury.
ELEVATION. Sit down and then lift your ankle to at least the level of your heart. This will help reduce swelling and pain.
