If you twist, turn or roll your ankle awkwardly while carrying out your work duties, the force can stretch and tear the ligaments in your ankle. Your ligaments stabilize your joints and while they allow for movement, too much movement may result in a sprain. An uneven curb, slippery surface or obstacle in your normal walking path can cause you to trip or sprain your ankle.
According to WebMD, the severity of an ankle sprain can vary, making it harder in some cases to determine the type of injury you may have.
What are the symptoms of an ankle sprain?
If you rolled your ankle or fell awkwardly, it is possible that you suffered a sprained ankle. One of the first indicators is pain. Your ankle will hurt immediately following the injury. Other symptoms include swelling, bruising and tenderness. In some cases, your feet may even go numb or cold. Stiffness and itching are two other symptoms that could indicate a sprain.
What are the grades of an ankle sprain?
There are three grades of ankle sprain, with grade one being minor and grade three being severe. If you have a grade one sprain, you may feel a little sore and may see some swelling. In a grade one sprain, you overstretched your ligament but did not tear it.
In a grade two sprain, you suffer from a partial tear. You will experience prolonged swelling and pain. Generally, these tears result in bruising beneath the skin and difficulty walking.
A grade three is a full tear. If you fall and hear a popping sound, odds are you tore your ligament. A severe sprain results in serious pain, swelling and bruising. You cannot support your weight and your ankle will feel unstable because the ligament can no longer support you.
Whenever you cannot put weight on your ankle, you require medical intervention. In the case of work-related injuries, it is a good idea to report the injury and seek medical help right away.