Acupuncture for Ankle Sprain

How Chinese medicine understands an ankle sprain

In Chinese medicine, a sprain is an injury to the sinews, the tissue that holds joints together. The twist damages the channels that run over the outside of the ankle, and Qi and Blood pool there. That pooling is what you see as swelling and bruising, and feel as throbbing pain.

The pattern changes as the ankle heals, and so does the treatment:

• Fresh Qi and Blood stagnation. The first days to weeks: swelling, purple bruising, sharp pain and heat. Treatment aims to move circulation and reduce pain, often using points on the other ankle, the wrist or higher up the leg, so the injured area is not disturbed.
• Lingering stagnation with Damp. The bruising has gone but the ankle stays puffy, stiff and sore, especially at the end of the day. Treatment works around the joint to clear the remaining swelling and free up movement.
• Cold settling into an old sprain. Months or years later, the ankle aches in cold, damp weather and feels better with warmth. Treatment warms the area.
• Weak sinews. The ankle gives way easily and feels unstable rather than sore. In Chinese medicine the ligaments are not being nourished well enough, so treatment also aims to build you up.

What treatment involves

Your first visit at the clinic in Keswick starts with questions about how and when the ankle went over, whether it has happened before, what you are doing for it now, and your general health. I also look at your tongue and take your pulse. An assessment usually includes looking at the swelling and bruising and checking which movements hurt.

Acupuncture is usually the main treatment. For a fresh sprain, points are commonly chosen away from the injury at first, then closer to the ankle as it settles. I treat the whole body at every treatment, not only the area that hurts. Limping changes how you walk, and the calf, knee, hip and low back often tighten as a result.

For an old sprain that aches in the cold, moxibustion can warm the area. Tuina massage can help loosen a stiff ankle and the tight calf that often comes with it, once the acute stage has passed. When healing is slow, Chinese herbal medicine can be added, a formula written for you and dispensed at the clinic.

Research on acupuncture for ankle sprains is still developing. Treatment fits alongside a physiotherapy program, which is the best way to rebuild strength and balance. Plan on 5–10 treatments to judge progress.

Between visits

• Protect it early, then move it. Rest, ice for 10 to 15 minutes at a time, and keep the foot raised in the first couple of days. After that, gentle movement helps more than complete rest.
• Walk as normally as you can. Once you can bear weight comfortably, a normal walking pattern is better than limping on it for weeks.
• Work on balance. Standing on one leg for 30 seconds while you brush your teeth is a simple start. A physiotherapist can progress it.
• Support it for sport. A brace or tape can help while you return to running, court and field sports.

When to see your doctor first

Get the ankle checked by a doctor, or go to urgent care, if:

• You could not take four steps right after the injury, or still cannot.
• There is pain when you press on the bony knobs of the ankle or the outer edge of the foot. These can be signs of a fracture.
• The ankle or foot looks deformed, or the foot is numb, cold or pale.
• You felt a snap at the back of the ankle or cannot push up onto your toes. This can be an Achilles tendon rupture.
• The swelling is getting worse after a few days, or the calf becomes swollen, hot or tender.
• The ankle is red and hot and you have a fever.