How do I know if I sprained my foot?

Symptoms of a foot sprain include:

Pain and tenderness near the arch of the foot. This can be felt on the bottom, top, or sides of the foot.
Bruising and swelling of the foot.
Pain when walking or during activity.
Not being able to put weight on your foot. This most often occurs with more severe injuries.

Can you walk on a sprained foot?

Walk or put weight on your sprained foot as long as it does not hurt. If your doctor gave you a splint or immobilizer, wear it as directed. If you were given crutches, use them as directed.

How do you heal a sprained foot fast?

The acronym RICE stands for: rest, ice, compression, and elevation. Doctors often recommend these tactics to reduce swelling and inflammation in the days after an injury. Resting the ankle is key for healing, and wearing a brace can help stabilize the injured area.

What helps a sprained foot?

Rest. Keep the injured foot in one place, and avoid shaking or putting pressure on it.
Ice the foot. Place ice on the affected foot to prevent or alleviate pain and swelling.
Compress. Wrap the injured foot in a compression bandage to prevent swelling.
Elevate.
Use splints.
Get shoe inserts.

Should I wrap a sprained foot?

Compress your foot. You may need to use tape or an elastic bandage to support your foot if you have a mild sprain. You may need a splint on your foot for support if your sprain is severe. Wear your splint for as many days as directed. Elevate your foot above the level of your heart as often as you can.

How do you treat a midfoot sprain?

Midfoot sprains are mostly treated using non-operative treatments, which include:

Resting the leg and using crutches to keep weight off of the foot.
Immobilizing the foot with a boot.
Icing the foot intermittently throughout the day.

Does a sprained foot throb?

Pain. Your nerves are more sensitive after a sprain. The joint hurts and may throb. It’s often worse when you press on it, move your foot in certain ways, walk, or stand.

What do doctors do for a sprained foot?

Because walking with a sprained ankle might be painful, you may need to use crutches until the pain subsides. Depending on the severity of the sprain, your doctor may recommend an elastic bandage, sports tape or an ankle support brace to stabilize the ankle.

Will walking on a sprained foot make it worse?

Yes. That’s the very short answer. According to the National Association of Athletic Trainers, ankle injuries, including sprains, are very often undertreated. Ignoring treatment, including excessive movement of the ankle through unnecessary walking, leads to a greater risk of worsening the injury.

How do I wrap a sprained foot?

How to Wrap your Foot Sprain. It’s quite easy to bandage your sprain. You simply place a small amount of a compression wrap just behind your toes and wrap it in a spiral motion toward your ankle. Each layer of the bandage should cover about half of the previous layer so it will stay intact.

How long does a midfoot sprain last?

A midfoot sprain without widening doesn’t need surgery, just time to heal. One can return to activity once the pain and swelling subside. This can take several weeks depending on position and severity of injury. Usually these result in lost playing time for 3-4 weeks, sometimes longer.

When is it OK to walk on a sprained foot?

Activity. You can begin light activity once the pain has decreased and the swelling has gone down. Slowly increase the amount of walking or activity each day. There may be some soreness and stiffness when you walk.

What are the signs of a sprained foot?

Symptoms of a foot sprain include: Pain and tenderness near the arch of the foot. This can be felt on the bottom, top, or sides of the foot.

What is the treatment for a sprained foot?

Foot sprains are an acute condition but may require weeks or months of treatment to recover function. The treatment required will vary based on the severity (grade) of the injury. Specific treatment options include rest, immobilization, pain medication, and possible surgery [2,5].

How do you care for a sprained foot?

Recommended care. You should go to a retail clinic to have the foot sprain evaluated. Most often, minor sprains can be treated by resting the foot, elevating it while sitting or laying down, and applying an ice pack or heat. Over-the-counter pain medication can help as well.

What does a sprained foot look like?

In a mild or moderate midfoot sprain, your midfoot area will be swollen and tender, and there may be some local bruising (black and blue discoloration). In more severe sprains, you may not be able to bear weight on your injured foot.