Between fractures, strains, and sprains, ankle issues are some of the most common injuries that follow car accidents.
Fortunately, these damages are almost always manageable. That is especially true when you have a St. Louis auto accident attorney helping you attain benefits for the costs associated with your collision. Below, we present the essential recovery steps you should take if you want to bounce back from your ankle injury.
See a Doctor
The most important step is seeing a medical professional. The reason is that you need to know what is going on with your ankle before you start to treat it. A doctor will assess it, diagnose you, and prescribe a treatment plan that is specific to your needs.
Reduce Swelling
One thing that your doctor will most likely recommend is reducing swelling. The reason is that this condition leads to excess pain and a lack of mobility. The best way to mitigate it is with ice. A standard schedule for doing so is twenty minutes on followed by twenty minutes off, but your needs may vary. This is best discussed with your doctor.
Manage Pain
The second issue you’ll have to worry about is pain. One way to reduce it is to manage your movement patterns, which will keep weight and stress away from your ankle. Another is through painkillers, with the two variants being over the counter and prescription. Make sure you are careful with these medications though, as each of them comes with side effects and other complications.
Consider Physical Therapy
An excellent tool that ankle injury sufferers often use is physical therapy. What these medical providers do for you is assess your injuries, treat your pain, and give you a detailed workout plan to make you stronger. While you should likely see a doctor first, your second stop might be at a physical therapist. If you’re interested in this option, be sure to ask your doctor about exploring it.
Consider Surgery
In the most severe cases, you might opt for ankle surgery. One thing to note is that the vast majority of cases will not come to this point. You will only consider surgical intervention if your injury is unmanageable without it. Again, this option is best discussed with a doctor.
Ultimately, the best move you can make after sustaining an ankle injury in a collision is seeing a doctor. That professional will have seen thousands of patients just like you and know precisely how to treat you going forward. After you take that step, it is a good idea to speak with a car accident attorney and discuss how you might be able to get that treatment paid for by the at-fault party in your collision. Call our office 24/7 at (314) 361-4242.