What should I do if my child sprains his ankle and it is swollen?

As children grow up, they will inevitably encounter various problems. It is very common for children to sprain their ankles, so as parents, don’t worry too much when encountering such a situation. If it is a minor injury, apply hot compresses appropriately and use safflower oil to reduce swelling. When the sprain is serious or a fracture occurs, be sure to send your child to the hospital immediately.

If your child sprains his ankle, you should pay attention to it.

Children are in puberty and they exercise a lot, so they are more likely to get sprains and bruises. However, neither parents nor children themselves pay much attention to common sprains and most of them just apply some medicated oil on the injury. Little do people know that if a child does not receive prompt treatment after spraining his ankle, the affected leg with limited mobility will not get the same amount of exercise as the healthy leg. The amount of exercise that children in adolescence do, especially boys, is astonishing. After a period of accumulation, the healthy leg becomes stronger due to increased activity, while the affected leg suffers from disuse atrophy due to lack of use, resulting in one thick and one thin "calf", which affects the child's normal development and body appearance. When adults sprain their ankles, it is mainly due to damage to soft tissues such as ligaments. However, children's ligaments are stronger than epiphyseal cartilage, so sometimes they are more likely to suffer fractures in the epiphyseal area. Therefore, if a child sprains his ankle and his ankle is swollen, it is very likely that he has a fracture. It is best not to let the child continue walking, but to take him to the hospital for a check-up to be sure.

How to deal with a child's sprained ankle

1. Distinguish the severity of the injury

If you can stand with weight and walk with difficulty after spraining your foot, it means the sprain is mild and you can handle it yourself; if you feel severe pain when moving your ankle, cannot stand with weight or move, and the painful area is on the bone and it gradually becomes swollen, it means you may have sprained the bone and you should go to the hospital immediately for X-ray diagnosis and treatment.

2. Use hot and cold compresses correctly

In the early stages of a sprain, small ruptured blood vessels are bleeding. At this time, cold compresses can be used to cause the blood vessels to contract and clot, thereby controlling the progression of the injury. After 24 hours, the bleeding from the ruptured blood vessels stops. At this time, hot compress can be used to promote the dissipation of blood stasis around the sprain.

3. Elevate your limbs

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.

4. Carry out appropriate activities

In the early stages of sprain, swelling and pain gradually increase. You should stop activity and elevate the affected limb. After the condition stabilizes, you can gradually increase the activities of the foot and ankle as long as it is not very painful.

5. Rational use of drugs

In the early stage of sprain, no oral medication is needed, and it is not advisable to apply blood-activating drugs externally to avoid more bleeding and greater swelling. If necessary, spray some "Li Tong" on the injured area, which will make you feel more comfortable. After 24 hours, take some Yunnan Baiyao, Dieda Pills, and Huoxue Zhitong Powder internally, and apply Wuhudan externally. After the swelling subsides, you don't need to take any internal or external medicines.

6. Take some rest

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