Anyone have helpful hints for getting a sprained ankle to heal faster? Or ideas of how long it usually takes to be walking again?

-- mary (mlg@aol.com), December 26, 2001

Answers

My daughter had a badly sprained ankle, and the doctor said to syat off of it as much as possible, ice on it, and keep it propped UP. Took about 3 weeks to be completely back to normal, but it felt much better after 1 week. Make sure it isn't broken first though, sometimes you think it is a bad sprain when it is actually broken. Hope the "sufferer" is soon feeling better.

-- Melissa (me@home.net), December 26, 2001.

HI Mary, I just saw on the Christian site that it is you,and that you went to the doctor. I hope it isn't re-classified as a break. That happened to one of my daughters too. Did the doctor recommend a brace or wrapping it? This seemed to help my daughter a lot also. I really hope it feels better soon!

-- Melissa (me@home.net), December 26, 2001.

Hi Mary. Were in our 60's and have both recovered from this, this year. My sprained knee has been recovering since 9/11 and is almost better. Prop foot up as much as possible. Ice is very important. We got one of those gel. thingys that you keep in the freezer. Use several times a day ( 20 minutes only at a time). Its a slow process, worse than a break sometimes. As we get older , it get lots SLOWER!! LOL Good luck and take it easy, eh? Tomas

-- Tomas (bakerzee@hotmail.com), December 26, 2001.

My dad always uses vicks vapor rub. He says rubbing this on a sprain or even a smashed finger or scraped knee will take away the ache and pain and help it heal. I will say it did work when I shut my finger in the garage door!God Bless

-- Micheale from SE Kansas (mbfrye@totelcsi.net), December 26, 2001.

RICE, Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation. Rest, keep off it as much as possible; Ice, for 20 minutes at a time; Compression, wrap with an bandage, or use a compression brace; Elevation, keep it up as much as you can. Also, rubbing an analgesic, such as Aspercreme on it 3 or 4 times a day will help, as will taking Vitamin E supplements. My son runs crosscountry, he had a severe injury this fall, following the above recommendations he was able to walk on it without significant pain in about a week, unfortunately though he was out for the rest of the cross country season, but back in time for basketball :) Polly

-- (jserg45@hotmail.com), December 27, 2001.

Apply tincture of Arnica four to five times a day, also helps with the pain.

-- Annie Miller in SE OH (annie@1st.net), December 27, 2001.

If I recall correctly, I was told that it's ice the first day to control swelling then alternating heat and ice thereafter.

-- Gary in Indiana (gk6854@aol.com), December 28, 2001.