SPRAINED ANKLE
A sprained ankle occurs when a person goes over on the ankle-joint
further than the tissues can allow. The force required to
sprain an ankle varies with each individual. If two people
went over on their ankles one of them may just rub it better
and carry on forgetting about it very quickly. The other
person may be hobbling around on a stick for a few days with
a bad sprain and a lot of swelling. The first person had
loose connective tissue which was elastic and forgiving of
a minor pull. The second person's connective tissue was much
tighter and less forgiving so that it tore easily even with
a slight trauma. The tighter the connective tissue becomes
the less stretchy and forgiving it is. A person with tight
tissue is much more likely to succumb to injury. When soft
tissue is damaged connective tissue fibres are torn. Fluid
leaks from the torn fibres and causes localised swelling.
This works like glue when squeezed from a tube. The glue
tries to repair the damage and in its enthusiasm sticks everything
to everything else. The individual fibres, which are normally
free to glide slightly one on the other, become stuck together
and are irritated by any movement of the ankle. It is important
that the ends of the torn fibres stick together but not that
they stick along their whole length.
TREATMENT
Sprains and strains are not helped by "working through
them" or by exercising and 'keeping it moving'. Resting
and keeping the leg up as much as possible will allow the
body to do its own repair job much quicker than trying to
carry on as though nothing had happened. Treatment with Connective
Tissue Manipulation helps to decrease pain, reduce the
swelling, increase range of movement and speed up the healing
process.
| 
