What should I do if my child sprains his ankle?

Children are lively and active, they like to run around and play, and they often get hurt accidentally. The feet are often the most injured area, especially when running, walking down stairs or walking. However, in daily life, many people lack the correct knowledge of emergency measures. Many parents are accustomed to using hot towels to wash the affected area, not knowing that this will not only aggravate the symptoms. Now I will teach you a simple and easy-to-learn emergency response PRICE principle.

The so-called "PRICE" stands for protection (Protection), rest (Rest), ice (Ice), compression (Compression), and elevation (Elevation). The details are as follows:

Protect

Any activity of the injured part should be stopped immediately and protective measures should be taken for the injured part.

rest

The injured part should be properly rested to avoid further bleeding and swelling which may aggravate the injury.

Ice

The "acute phase" is within 48 hours of injury. When the injured part is in the acute phase, ice compress should be applied (ice compress should be applied every 2-3 hours, each time for 15-20 minutes), and manipulation, massage and hot compress are strictly prohibited. Ice can reduce bleeding, pain and swelling and relax muscles.

Pressurization

Apply pressure to the injured part to fix it so that it stops bleeding. You can use an elastic bandage to wrap it with moderate force. If purple or numbness appears at the end of the muscle, it means the bandage is too tight and needs to be loosened.

Elevate the limb

The injured area should be elevated to reduce continued bleeding. If the injured part is in the upper limb, you can raise the affected side to be higher than the heart. If it is in the lower limb, it is best to raise it above the pelvis.

Lifestyle adjustment attention

1. For mild ankle sprains, cold compresses should be applied immediately after the sprain. To reduce the formation of hematoma. At the same time, you can apply blood-activating and blood-stasis-removing drugs externally. This will reduce swelling and relieve pain. It usually takes 10-14 days to recover.

2. If the ankle injury is severe and causes severe ligament damage, you should go to the hospital for treatment. At this time, use wide tape strips to secure it. The fixed time is generally 2-3 weeks.

The PRICE principle introduced by the editor above is the most commonly used in sports injuries. Have you remembered it? Don’t think that sprains are just minor problems. Especially if a child sprains an ankle, you must take it seriously to avoid irreversible effects on his or her future growth and development. Now everyone knows the correct treatment measures to avoid further damage.