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Is it bad to soak a sprained ankle in hot water?
Give your injured ankle a few days to recover after the initial injury. When the swelling goes down, you may want to warm your ankle before rehabilitation by soaking it in warm water. Warm tissues are more flexible, and less prone to injury.
Is Hot Good for sprained ankle?
Warm compresses applied to the ankle after the swelling subsides can increase blood flow to the injured area and speed healing. The warm compression can also relax muscles and ease pain. Apply heat packs to the ankle for 15 to 20 minutes at a time. You can also alternate between hot and cold packs.
What does hot water do to a sprained ankle?
After an acute injury, ice should be used to minimize swelling for the first two to three days. After this period, heat can be used to increase blood flow and assist the natural healing process. Applying heat too early may cause additional swelling by increasing blood flow to the injury.
Does hot water help ankle pain?
Soaking in warm water or applying a heated compress is one of the oldest, cheapest, and safest forms of complementary therapy. Research has shown that heat treatments can loosen stiff joints and relieve achy muscles. Here is how it works. When you warm up a sore joint or tired muscle, your blood vessels get bigger.
Can I take a hot shower with a sprained ankle?
For the first 2 days after your injury, avoid hot showers, hot tubs, or hot packs. They may increase swelling. Put ice or a cold pack on your foot for 10 to 20 minutes at a time to stop swelling. Try this every 1 to 2 hours for 3 days (when you are awake) or until the swelling goes down.
Should you soak a sprained ankle?
Soak. Internal injuries, like an ankle sprain, react well to soaking. Although the act of soaking in Epsom salts doesn’t directly heal, water therapy is very calming. Your ankle will feel good, hence so will you.
How do you heal a sprained ankle in 2 days?
Doctors often recommend these tactics to reduce swelling and inflammation in the days after an injury.
- Rest. Resting the ankle is key for healing, and wearing a brace can help stabilize the injured area.
- Ice. Using an ice pack may reduce blood flow to the injury and help ease pain and swelling.
- Compression.
- Elevation.
How can I tell how bad my ankle sprain is?
If there is no broken bone, your doctor may be able to tell the severity of your ankle sprain based upon the amount of swelling, pain, and bruising. To diagnose a sprain, your doctor will gently palpate around the outside of the ankle in the area of the pain (arrow).
How long should you stay off a sprained ankle?
Depending on the severity of the injury, she advises patients to avoid any impact on the injured ankle, including running and other athletic pursuits, for four-to-six weeks before gradually working up to previous levels.