How long elevate sprained ankle

Talk to your doctor if you think you need to use a wrap for longer than 48 to 72 hours; a more serious problem may be present. Elevate the injured or sore area on pillows while applying ice and anytime you are sitting or lying down. Try to keep the area at or above the level of your heart to help minimize swelling. They include: Ibuprofen, such as Advil or Motrin. Naproxen, such as Aleve or Naprosyn.

Be safe with medicines. Read and follow all instructions on the label. Credits Current as of: November 16, Top of the page Next Section: Related Information. The part that's compressed will not soak up water, but the part that's exposed will. That's exactly how capillaries work. Elevation controls blood flow with gravity. By keeping the area above the level of the heart, we are reducing the pressure of the blood that is pumped there.

In combination with all of the other components of RICE, the reduced pressure results in reduced flow. All of this is great for turning off the blood spigot. It reduces swelling and keeps the area a little numb to the pain of recovery. Unfortunately, it might also cause recovery to take a lot longer. Blood flow is necessary for healing. Our bodies have to break down damaged cells and rebuild using raw materials. It's like a construction site. We have to keep the traffic flowing in order to haul away waste and debris as well as deliver nutrients and energy.

Watch what a construction site does if the roads are blocked. Nothing happens. The whole process takes longer. That's exactly what the body does when blood flow isn't allowed in the area. Instead of reducing blood flow, healing requires controlled blood flow. That doesn't mean we can't do anything to help. Modern medicine has proved that we can certainly guide healing and help get the injured area back to pre-injury status. If we promote the right kind of controlled blood flow and rehabilitation, we might be able to improve upon the process.

It requires that we stop impairing blood flow in the name of comfort and encouraging the right blood flow to improve healing.

METH is an acronym for movement, elevation, traction, and heat. It is emerging as the new RICE. Right away, it seems as if we are going to do exactly the opposite of what we've been doing for years.

That's not how this works. Heat instead of cold? A little. Movement instead of rest? But that doesn't mean we should throw out the baby with the bathwater. Some of what we did under RICE still applies. We are still going to elevate the injury to control the blood flow, just not stop it. First, stop cutting blood flow to injured areas.

It just makes the whole thing drag out and it puts the patient at risk for additional injury due to decreased sensation in the area. Let's control blood flow and encourage it in the right way. Movement means what it says. A moderate or severe sprain may require you to keep up these treatment steps for longer—up to several weeks. Ankle Anatomy: Muscles and Ligaments. Ankle Sprain and Strain Signs and Symptoms. Ankle Sprain and Strain Diagnosis.

You are here Blog. Editor's Top Picks. Health Information Sponsored. Sharing is Nice Yes, send me a copy of this email. Send We respect your privacy. Oops, we messed up. Try again later. When you shop through retailer links on our site, we may earn affiliate commissions. Learn more. Forget the Ice Gabe Mirkin, M.

Forget Complete Rest The old wisdom also called for completely stopping activity until an injury healed. Is RICE still nice? What works for you after a sprained ankle or knee? Tell us below.