Medically reviewed by Misty Seidenburg
Chances are you have had or will experience a sprain at some point in your lifetime. These common injuries can occur from direct trauma to the body or a sudden awkward movement, like rolling your ankle or twisting your knee.
Sprains often swell quickly, making movement difficult and painful. Knowing how to manage swelling can help reduce discomfort and encourage healing. The next time you get hurt, try these tips for reducing swelling after a sprain.
Inside the body, there are some 900 stretchy, fibrous bands of tissue called ligaments that connect bones to bones at the joints. These ligaments stabilize and support the bones and joints and allow some movement between bones. A sprain happens when a ligament stretches too far, causing partial or complete tears.
Sprains are often caused by falls that cause abrupt landings, forcing the joints out of position. A sudden twist, pivot, or jump in sports like tennis and basketball can overstretch or tear the ligaments in the knees or ankles, causing painful swelling and inflammation.
Impact on the body, like a football tackle, can also exert excess pressure on the joints, causing a sprain. Sprains can also develop and worsen over time from repetitive motion. Performing the same physical movement for prolonged periods without rest or proper conditioning can damage the overused ligaments.
Although it’s possible to sprain any joint supported by ligaments, the ankle, knee, elbow, wrist, and thumb are the most commonly affected joints.
After a fall or trauma to the body, pay attention to any changes that may indicate a sprain or other injury. Common symptoms of sprains include:
Sprains are graded based on severity. Mild Grade 1 sprains may respond well to conservative treatments, while more severe Grade 3 sprains involve complete tears that may require surgery to repair the damaged ligament.
You have probably heard the acronym “RICE” for treating sprains, strains, and other soft tissue injuries. However, a growing body of research suggests that the P.E.A.C.E. and L.O.V.E. program is actually more effective for reducing swelling and managing soft tissue injuries.
That is because this strategy goes beyond acute management to address the sub-scute and chronic healing stages in the following ways:
Protect: Restrict movement in the affected joint for 1-3 days to avoid aggravating the injury.
Elevate: Raise the limb above the heart to promote fluid movement through tissues that aids healing.
Avoid anti-inflammatories: Inflammation that causes swelling is part of the body’s natural healing process. Some research suggests ice and anti-inflammatory medications, though initially helpful, may actually disrupt long-term tissue healing.
Compress: Using bandages or taping to pressure injured areas can reduce swelling.
Educate: Physical therapists and other providers teach injured patients how to rehabilitate sprains and other soft-tissue injuries with safe, approved physical activity.
Load: After the first few days after the injury, patients can gradually add mechanical stress to remodel and rebuild injured tissues. To avoid re-injury, it’s best to consult a physical therapist for guidance.
Optimism: Pain and swelling from an injury can impact a person’s mood and mental health. But if you are optimistic that relief and recovery are possible, you are more likely to have good results. In fact, a study on patients with ankle sprains found that patients with a positive mindset experienced better outcomes and prognoses.
Vascularization: Cardiovascular exercise boosts blood flow to the injured structures. Aerobic exercise improves function and mobility and can reduce the need for medication to manage symptoms.
Exercise: Movement is beneficial for sprains and other soft-tissue injuries. It helps reduce swelling and improve strength and mobility so you can move and feel better as you recover from a sprain.
Disclaimer: See a healthcare provider if the swelling and pain do not improve within two days or symptoms increase in intensity. An accurate diagnosis is essential to prevent chronic instability and other long-term complications. Also, always check with your physical therapist before resuming activity after a sprain.
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Even if swelling subsides with home care, a complementary physical therapy program is still beneficial for these injuries. Let’s take the example of ankle sprains. Physical therapy can help reduce the incidence of recurrent ankle sprains and lower the risk of chronic instability, which occurs in nearly one-third of people who experience ankle sprains.
It may seem counterintuitive to exercise after a sprain, but as noted in the P.E.A.C.E. and L.O.V.E., therapeutic exercise is the foundation of recovery. As you stretch and strengthen the affected muscles through a controlled motion that avoids stressing the ligament, you increase the flow of blood nutrients flow to the injury site, encouraging tissue recovery.
Manual therapies, including soft tissue and joint mobilization, relieve swelling while relieving pain and increasing mobility. Physical therapists also use short-termtaping, orthotics, and electrical stimulation to decrease swelling and pain in patients recovering from sprains.
The best physical therapy techniques for sprains vary from patient to patient. Treatment plans are tailored to address your condition, symptoms, and personal therapy goals. Physical therapy can help you resume activity after a painful sprain. Request an appointment and find a clinic near you to take the first step in your healing journey.
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