A sprain to an ankle, knee, wrist or other joint occurs when a fall, a sudden twist or a blow stretches or tears the ligaments supporting the joint and forces it out of its normal position. A visit to a doctor is required if you:
- have severe pain;
- cannot move the joint or put weight on it;
- note that the limb is crooked or has abnormal lumps or bumps near the injured area;
- cannot walk more than four steps without significant pain or buckling of the limb;
- have numbness in the injured area;
- see redness or red streaks spreading out from the injury;
- have pain, swelling or redness over a bony part of your foot;
- have injured the same area previously or
- are in doubt about how serious the injury is or what you should do to treat it.
For more information visit Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center Health Information Library online.
[SOURCE: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, “Sprains and strains,” NIH Publication No. 09-5328, April, 2009]