After a twisted ankle, the good reflex is not to “test” by walking again, but to stop, cool, elevate and gently compress. On Instagram, Dr Victoria Tchaikovsky, sports doctor (@drtchaikovski) and Erwann Le Corre, sports physiotherapist (@erwann_lecorre) remind us of the benefit of early restraint, with an essential limit: it must never be too tight.
Useful actions immediately after twisting
In the first minutes, the objective is simple: avoid aggravating the lesion and contain the swelling. Health Insurance recommendations for the general public summarize these actions with the GREEK protocol: ice, rest, elevation, compression. In practice, this starts with stop the activityeven if the pain seems bearable at the time.
From the first symptoms of an ankle sprain, the safest reflexes are as follows:
- Rest the ankle, without trying to “unroll” the foot to check if it happens;
- Apply cold while protecting the skin with a cloth, so as not to cause cold burns;
- Elevate the legif possible above the level of the heart, to help limit edema;
- Apply soft compression if available, but always with moderate tension.
Cold and elevation do not “repair” the ligament in a few minutes. Above all, they help to calm pain and limit swelling. Likewise, gentle compression can be helpful for edema, but it should not be presented as a guarantee of avoiding hematoma.
Another point is important: if the ankle is painful, swells quickly or makes it difficult to bear weight, it should not be trivialized. An assessment by a healthcare professional is recommended quickly, ideally within 24 hours, to rule out a fracture or associated injury in particular.
Compression: useful, but never at the cost of traffic
In the video, Erwann Le Corre shows a restraint with a cohesive tape, that is to say a tape which adheres to itself without sticking to the skin. The idea presented is to create compression to limit edema, while providing support for the joint: restraint is not meant to be as tight as possibleit must remain tolerable.
The transcription also emphasizes an important technical detail: during circular passages, the strip is installed without tension. For the general public, it is not a question of reproducing a strapping assembly step by step, but of remembering the safety principle: compression must be regular, comfortable and supervised. A bandage that is too tight can become counterproductive.
The signs not to ignore are clear. A restraint should be loosened or removed if it causes unusual pain, tingling, numbness, cold foot, or change in color. These signs may reflect circulatory problems or nerve compression. In this case, it is better not to insist.
It is possible to keep this type of assembly for 24 to 48 hours. This duration must be nuanced: it depends on the type of restraint, swelling, pain and tolerance. If the ankle swells under the bandage, if the pain increases or if the foot changes in appearance, we do not keep the support “to meet the deadline”.
After the first phase, the choice of support may vary: bandage, ankle brace, splint or orthosis depending on the severity. The recommendations remind us that this decision depends on the clinical examination. Strapping or a splint therefore does not replace
rapid medical advicenor rehabilitation when this is necessary. To go further, True Medical also details the good reflexes in the event of an ankle sprain.