Torn ligaments

TORN LIGAMENTS

  • Rest: This is an important factor in the healing process. Any repetitive stress or strain could aggravate the injury and thwart the curing of the ankle. Severe ligament tear runs the risk of temporary immobilization of the joint. Avoid carrying heavy weights.
  • Cold compression: Cold therapy should be used on the injury to reduce swelling and bleeding, if any. It is advised that cold compression be applied every 2 to 3 hours for at least 15 minutes.
  • Elevation: Elevate your ankle to reduce the swelling. Try and keep your foot on an elevated surface, above the ground, while sitting or resting.
  • Home Exercises: Your doctor or physiotherapist will advice exercises that should be done to help with healing the ligament sprain. It is important that the exercises be done exactly as instructed to avoid aggravating the situation.
  • Diet: What you eat could make a difference in the therapy process. To repair a tear in the ligament, protein is one such nutrient that should be had in sufficient amounts. Amino acids converted from proteins are important in assembling new tissue. Have two or three servings of protein a day such as skinless poultry, beans, fish and shellfish. An increase in intake of vitamin C will also aid the healing process, as one of the main components in the structural proteins that make up the ligament is collagen. Vitamin C stimulates collagen creation. Apart from vitamin C supplements, you can also consume oranges and pineapples that are rich sources of the vitamin.