Anytime a child is injured, parents tend to worry and panic. However, treating an ankle sprain is relatively painless, as long as you know what to do.
Children are constantly running, jumping, and playing outside during the summer months. Unfortunately, all of this time outside can lead to small injuries, like ankle sprains. Anytime a child is in pain or somehow injured, parents tend to worry and panic. However, treating an ankle sprain caused by outdoor play is relatively painless, as long as you know what to do.
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Ankle sprains are a very common injury for children. They happen when there’s a sudden twist in the ankle. This causes the ligaments within a child’s ankle to overstretch and tear. Usually, children sprain their ankles while running, jumping, or playing sports like soccer or basketball.
The Royal Children's Hospital of Melbourne, Australia says that ankle sprains are fairly easy to identify. In fact, you want to look for the following signs of a sprain:
However, signs can sometimes vary. This is because there are three types of sprains that can occur: lateral, medial, and high ankle sprains.
In most cases, you can care for a sprained ankle at home with no necessary medical intervention. According to the team at Nationwide Children's Hospital, you'll use a treatment regimen called the RICE Method.
In addition to this treatment, you can also provide your child with over-the-counter pain medications for pain management, but always read the directions and consult a doctor if you are unsure how much or how often you can give these medications.
Eventually, you will want to slowly start having your child do exercises to restore strength to the injured ankle. In many cases, you can start doing this within a few days of the sprain. Make sure your child is able to put weight on their ankle, then have them do exercises like stretches, toe raises, and balancing exercises to practice putting weight back on it. Most children make a full recovery within a matter of weeks.
However, the medical team at University of Utah Health say you should contact your child's doctor if:
If these symptoms are present, it could be more than a sprain. This means your child may need x-rays or an evaluation to rule out other injuries.
Although no injury is fun to deal with, ankle sprains aren't all that bad. Just make sure to follow the treatment suggested, and your child will be back on their feet in no time at all.
Sources: Royal Children's Hospital, Nationwide Children's Hospital, University of Utah Health
Megan Glosson is a mother and freelance writer based Nashville, Tennessee. She enjoys writing on a variety of parenting topics, but loves taking on anything with a personal connection to her own life. When she's not writing, you can probably find Megan building Legos or playing board games with her two adorable daughters. To check out more of Megan's work or to contact her about freelance opportunities, visit http://meganglosson.com/.