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What is a sprain?

ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ A sprain occurs when a ligament around a joint is injured. Ligaments are very strong, flexible, fibrous connective tissues that stabilize a joint. A sprain occurs when a ligament around a joint is stretched too far or torn and the joint then swells and becomes painful. This happens when a joint is forced to move into some unnatural position, such as twisting, folding or bending improperly.

ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ There are 3 grades of sprains, depending on severity.

úÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ Grade 1 this is a mild sprain that occurs when ligaments are stretched or pulled, but not torn

úÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ Grade 2 this is a moderate sprain that occurs when some ligaments have been torn and the injury may also cause some loss of function

úÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ Grade 3 this is a severe sprain and occurs when there is a full tear of the ligament and requires medical care or surgery to make sure there is a full recovery

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Ankle sprains

ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ Ankle sprains generally occur when a rider’s foot is awkwardly planted. When this happens, the foot is turned inward at an unusual angle. When a sprain occurs there is swelling of the area and extreme pain at the time of injury and increasingly within 24 hours after. There may also be bruising or discoloration at the affected area. Most ankle sprains affect the lateral, or outer, part of the ankle joint. Walking is also very difficult.

ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ In motocross, an ankle sprain can take place in numerous situations.ÿ These injuries are caused by poor rider form when cornering. When cornering, always be sure to keep your leg extended (but do not lock your knee out), your toes pointed up, and your outside elbow up to retain leverage over the bike. Riders that put their leg down or drag it behind them while cornering leave themselves susceptible to an ankle sprain because it is easy to catch your foot in a rut or drag it behind you, actually catching it in the rear wheel and swingarm.ÿ As always, proper safety gear will help keep you safe should you get into one of these situations. Quality motocross boots that feature ankle support will greatly aid in minimizing these injuries because they will limit the range of motion of the ankle and provide support to the joint.

ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ After an injury occurs it is important to see a doctor. The doctor may notice that the ankle seems loose and may appear to be turned inward, more than the normal, uninjured foot. An x-ray will then be taken, to rule out a fracture or break and though an MRI would show the tear in the ligament, it is very expensive and a sprain can usually be diagnosed without it. Only if the sprain were expected to be severe would an MRI be ordered. The doctor will check for nerve and blood vessel damage and lateral and anterior stability or instability.

ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ General treatment for an ankle sprain is a system referred to as “RICE”. This stands for: Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. After several days of this, the patient should begin to walk around on the ankle to begin to strengthen the injured area. An ACE bandage may be worn to help provide added support and compression for the ankle. Pain relievers and anti-inflammatories will help with pain and swelling. It is important to keep the ankle worked out, warmed up and stretched to help proper healing.

ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ A regular, run-of-the-mill ankle sprain should not require an MRI, cast, crutches or any sort of regular visits to a doctor. Surgery is almost never needed. Almost 100% of ankle sprain cases are treated successfully with basic at home rehab and proper time.

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Wrist sprains

ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ Wrist sprains most commonly occur when you fall forward and land on your palms. It is natural, in a forward fall, to put your arms out to catch yourself. Your wrist will bend backwards and the ligaments will stretch and often times tear. Some signs to watch for are swelling, pain at the time of injury and increasing pain when the wrist is moved, bruising of the injured area and a feeling of warmth to the skin at the area.

ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ When riding, a wrist sprain is most likely in a few situations. A hard landing has caused numerous wrist sprains, once again due to poor rider body positioning. Keeping your elbows up can be a huge prevention measure. When your elbows are down, it causes you to grip the handlebars straight on. In an instance where you over jump or case the landing, all of the impact force travels through the front end and into your hands. As your wrist drops down, it forces that impact through your wrist, which will lead to an inevitable, and quite painful sprain. By keeping your elbows up, it allows you to provide additional support to your wrist and absorb the impact with your arms and upper body.

ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ At your doctor’s visit, the doctor will exam your hand, wrist and arm. This is done to make sure that other areas are not injured. With a wrist sprain, even the mildest of swelling may be a severe sprain. They will ask about any numbness or tingling in your hands.ÿ Just as in an ankle sprain, an x-ray will be done to check for any chipped or broken bones and in extreme cases an MRI may be done.

ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ A wrist sprain is treated the same way as an ankle sprain using the “RICE” system and in most cases, this treatment is enough to ensure proper healing.

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The aftermath

ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ The main thing to remember after a sprain is to follow doctor’s orders and give yourself time to rest. Be sure to allow enough time to let your injury heal before you’re back out there riding full force again. Generally, 4-6 weeks is about how long it takes for full healing, depending on the severity of the injury. Your doctor will give you the best timing he can when you see him. When it is time to get back out there on the bike, it would be wise to use an ankle or wrist support or stabilizer, to make sure that your injury has a little added protection and support.

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“EVS Winning with safety”

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