Sprains and breaks are very painful, although a broken bone is much more painful than a sprain. Learn the difference between the symptoms so you will know what actions you need to take for your pain to subside.
What are the Symptoms of a Sprained Foot?
When you sprain a foot, it doesn’t involve broken bones, although it can be very painful. According to Urgent Medical Center, the pain radiates from the tissues that connect the bones and the joints in your foot when they are torn or stretched. There are three grades of sprains: Grade 1 is a mild injury when the ligaments have small tears or stretches. Grade 2 sprains involve partial tearing of the ligaments and Grade 3 sprains are when the ligaments tear completely away from the bone. Signs of a sprained foot include swelling and pain, bruises on your foot and an inability to bear weight if it is a severe sprain. According to WebMD, a sprain will eventually heal on its own if you follow the RICE method of treatment. Rest and stay off of the injured foot, use ice to reduce swelling, compress the sprain with an elastic bandage and elevate your affected 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. Make certain you don’t get the wrap on too tight or it will cut off your circulation in your foot.
What are the Symptoms of a Broken Foot?
A broken foot is more painful than a sprain in your foot. It is accompanied by very painful swelling, the inability to move your foot or to put weight on it and bruising. It is definitely broken if your foot is bent at an unnatural angle and the pain increases drastically when you bear weight on your foot. If you have these symptoms, it is best to get to a medical professional as soon as possible, because bearing any weight on it can make the break even worse. You may need a walking boot, a cast or crutches or even a wheelchair depending on the severity of the break
What are the Symptoms of an Ankle Sprain?
When you sprain your ankle, it will have many of the same symptoms as when you sprain your foot. According to the Mayo Clinic, you may treat a mild sprain in your ankle in the same manner as you would a foot sprain, however; a severe sprain may require surgery to repair the ligaments torn from the bone. In addition to the symptoms of a sprained foot, you may also have limited ability to move the ankle joint and you may hear a loud popping sound in the ankle at the time of your injury. The most important thing to remember is that if you aren’t sure if you have a sprain or a break from foot and ankle injuries, you should visit a medical professional for the correct treatment.
