Sprained Ankle Healed By “New Better Way”

By Li Hua, L. Ac. TCMD.

Spring is good time for hiking. During hiking, we should prevent twisted ankle. If the ankle is twisted, please see a professional for a treatment. If not, the twisted ankle may develop to arthritis. Ankle joint bears the whole body weight. It lateral ligament is thinner and weaker than its medical ligament. So it is easy to get lateral ankle twisted or ankle fracture. In clinic, ankle arthritis usually is caused by trauma, degenerative arthritis, rheumatic arthritis, or gout, etc.

The injured degree of ankle is generally divided into three levels. The first level: local light swollen with a little bit blood stasis. The function of ligament still exists. The treatment needs TuiNa (Chinese medical massage) and applying external Chinese herbs on the local place or orally taking Chinese herbs. The second level: the ligament is lacerated. The injured ankle needs fixation by tied with medical bandage. Meanwhile, applying acupuncture in long distance place and external Chinese herbs in local place or orally taking Chinese herbs. It is better to avoid walking with the injured ankle. The recovered ligament usually is not very strong and can be sprained again. So TuiNa (Chinese medical massage) is highly recommended after recovery for preventing re-happening. The third level: the ligament is completely teared and the join is not stable. It is proper to select the treatment combined with Western medicine and traditional Chinese medicine. It may repair the ligament and fix the joint with surgery, at the same time, the patient may take Chinese herbs to strengthen the ligament and ankle, and remove the blood stasis. At this moment, acupuncture can be used to relieve pain, and improve the blood circulation in order to recover sooner. After recovery from the surgery, I recommend to have TuiNa (Chinese medical massage) for reinforcing the function of the ankle and preventing re-injuring.

After the ankle twisted, the soft tissue around the joint injured, too. The local area may have the symptoms, such as redness, swollen, hotness and pain. Don’t worry! This is the special function of our own body that can protect and heal ourselves automatically. At this time, it is correct to use ice bag for removing pain and bleeding, and also not influence our own body healing.

In clinic, I always teach my patients to do some special exercise to enhance their ankle and low leg muscle. I suggest them to ware high upper sport shoes foe protecting ankle in hiking instead of high heel shoes. I also suggest them to have more “date walnut mushroom chicken soup” in winter time to strengthen the muscle and bone before spring – “the golden season of hiking”.