Did I twist my ankle?

Did I twist my ankle? or is it a minor thing?

• it was raining this morning... I didn't go out in the morning... in the afternoon, I decided to go out & chill with my friends.. there were still puddles of water outside... and I didn't want my pants to get wet so I jumped over a big puddle & I landed in the wrong position which caused my ankle to become quite painful.. until now it still hurts.. and I need to walk slowly because when I move my ankle, the pain comes.. so it has to be still...is this considered twisting my ankle or it's not a big thing? i just wanna know because I never had twisted my ankle before... and if it is twisted, what can I do to heal it other than going to the doctor? and what is the difference between twisting & spraining ankle? please let me know asap.. thanks!

• Answer:

  Sounds like you twisted your ankle. Twisting your ankle and spraining your ankle are the same thing. What this means is that the ligaments that connect your ankle bones to the bones in your lower leg have been stretched or torn. A torn ligament is very painful and you would not be able to put any pressure on the foot and would not be helped by anything. First thing to do is ice. Our bodies initial reaction to any type of injury is to protect the area, so the body floods the area with white blood cells which causes swelling and inflammation in the injured body part. Unfortunately this can cause the area to become swollen which decreases mobilization. Ice will decrease the swelling and also reduce the pain. The best thing to do is to rest the ankle, immobilize it with a splint or ace bandage. Rest with your ankle up put a pillow under the foot. Depending upon how severe sprain is will determine how quickly it will heal. You can take some OTC pain relievers if pain is severe. If bruising is present the ice will help reduce this. Or you can try a topic cream called Arnica, its all natural and will reduce muscle pain, swelling and bruising immediately. Additionally topical sprays or gels such as Cryoderm or Biofreeze can be used to help with pain, and swelling. Healing time usually will take a week to two weeks. Try to keep off your ankle as much as possible until your symptoms subside. This is not to say don't walk on it but avoid putting undo pressure on that ankle until it heals.