Home Remedies For An Ankle Sprain

A sprained ankle can be very painful. However, there are several home remedies you can use to relieve the pain. If you move swiftly to treat the injury, you will get relief very quickly. Here are four methods you can use to get fast relief.

Try R.I.C.E

This is a series of steps that you can use to immediately start the healing process for your ankle.

R stands for Rest--Get plenty of rest and stay off your feet for at least four days.

I stands for Ice--Apply an ice-pack to the injured ankle over the course of several days to combat swelling and pain.

C stands for compression--Wrap a bandage around the injured ankle to help relieve swelling.

E stands for elevation--Raise your ankle up when you sit to reduce blood flow to the injury. Too much blood can put pressure on the sprained muscles and slow down the healing process.

Epsom Salt Treatment

After applying the R.I.C.E method for a few days you can then move on to soaking your feet in an Epsom salt bath. Epsom salt will soothe your sore ankle muscles. Pour some warm water in a small plastic tub. Make sure the water is above ankle level. Generously sprinkle some Epsom salt in the water. Soak your ankle two times a day for thirty minutes to help soothe your sprained muscles.

Vinegar Treatment

This method is very effective at helping to remove any inflammation that develops due to the sprain. You will need:

  1. Apple cider vinegar
  2. Five sheets of brown paper
  3. A glass bowl
  4. Elastic bandages

Method

Fill the glass bowl with at least one quart of the vinegar. Cut the brown paper into strips. The strips should be five inches wide and about fifteen inches long. Soak the strips in the bowl of vinegar. Wrap the strips around the affected area until it is completely covered. Wrap the bandages over the brown paper. Once the strips have dried out change them and bandage the foot again.

Anti-Inflammatory Oils

After using the vinegar treatment for a few days, you can use oils to assist with healing. Heat some olive oil or castor oil and rub it gently on your ankle to combat swelling. Apply oil at least twice per day to the ankle and then wrap the injured area in a bandage.

Home remedies for relieving sprained ankles are simple and extremely effective. They also have the added advantage of costing very little.

 

However, if you find your ankle is not improving, or you have sustained a more serious foot injury, contact a professional podiatrist, such as those at Cortez Foot & Ankle Specialists.


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