For active people, who often play sports and work out, minor sprains may be part of life, an occasional mishap or something that happens just once in a lifetime. First and foremost if you are injured in anyway it is best to visit the doctor. The information in this article is meant to help in addition to the care of a qualified health care professional. There are a few easy techniques that can help you both deal with and heal your injury.
First of all, the most important part of healing a minor sprain is to reduce the swelling so healing can begin. There are three simple parts to reducing swelling. The first is to reduce the temperature or to ice the swollen area. Never put ice directly on the skin and never ice for more than twenty minutes. Repeatedly ice the area and let it heat back up on its own to room temperature. Freezing the tissue can cause damage to be careful not to ice for too long. Secondly is to reduce movement and not to put stress on the area. In other words, stay off it for a while. Once the swelling goes down you want to stretch the joint in a limited fashion but not before the swelling is reduced. In addition to icing and immobilization, you can also add an anti inflammatory drug or pain reliever. One option here is ibuprofen but this is not for everyone. Make sure to consult your physician before taking any medication.
If you follow these three techniques to reduce swelling you will on your way to getting back into the action. In addition to following these three steps always remember to drink plenty of water, even if you are less active than usual. Water is a necessary part of the healing process.