Joao Félix suffers a right ankle sprain

After injuring himself last Sunday in a match against Betis, Atlético Madrid striker Joao Félix has been diagnosed with a right ankle sprain. This casts doubt on their presence in the team's next sporting events, since these types of injuries require rest for their recovery.

Ankle sprains are common in football, since the dynamics of the sport and the traumas associated with collisions and maneuvers with the ball favor their appearance. Although there are therapies that combine physical methods with physiotherapy, joint rest remains the main measure to avoid complications.

In this sense, for Joao Félix there is the possibility that his right ankle sprain put him out of competition for a while, which problematizes the assembly of the squad, since other footballers suffer from problems that also have them at rest. Therefore, in this article we analyze what the injury is about.

Ankle sprain: the injury that Joao Félix was diagnosed with

The ankle sprain suffered by Joao Félix is ​​part of the ligament and joint strains typical of sports injuries. Although they are not exclusive to football and other disciplines, they can also be present in everyday life, for example when going up or down a ladder.

In this specific case, We refer to an abnormal and exaggerated stretching of the ligaments that contain the ankle. That is, there is an elongation of the soft tissues that are responsible for maintaining the stability of the joint that joins the leg with the foot.

This may be due to an abnormal twist, especially inward, or external trauma that hits the ligament hard and forces it to overextend. Like an expired elastic, it does not return to normal, but instead loses power and the possibility of resizing.

In an extreme case, the injured ligament tears. However, if we are strict with the term, we will say that this is a ligament tear and not a sprain. In the latter, the precept of overstretching is fulfilled without immediate recovery of the normal shape or of the expected elasticity.

When suffering a right ankle sprain, Joao Félix has been the victim of a sports problem that is frequent among these athletes. Your joint is not stable right now and you need to rest to resume normal functions, so as to contain the movements of your foot.

Ankle sprain classification

There are different classifications for body sprains and especially for ankle sprain. Anyway, the most accepted is the following:

• First grade: It happens when the ligament distension is mild and a large amount of fluid does not accumulate in the area. Sometimes this variant does not appear immediately and symptoms appear days after stopping physical activity.

• Second grade: This second scale of severity involves a small tear of some parts of the ligament, together with an exaggerated strain of the soft tissues of the joint. The fluid that builds up is noticeable and usually involves stopping exercise or movement with pain.
• Third degree: This is the part of the classification that generates controversy, because according to some experts we are facing a complete tear of the involved ligament. Hematomas appear that exert pressure and are visualized through the skin with the typical coloration. Functional impotence is immediate.

Keep reading: Knee sprain: causes, symptoms and recommendations

How is the sprained ankle suffered by Joao Félix treated?

As we advance, the sprained ankle suffered by Joao Félix is ​​primarily treated with rest. But along with this there are measures that can be indicated to alleviate the symptoms. Always considering that there is no large or complete tear that involves surgery.

From the data we have, we assume that the Atlético Madrid footballer has a first or second degree of injury. This means that approach therapies will focus on calming pain, reducing inflammation in the area and promoting the recovery of normality in the ligament.

In this regard, the general measures for anyone experiencing an ankle sprain are as follows:

• Repose: the main prescription. The time is variable, but it is assumed that 15 days is the minimum and that 20 to 30 days without activity can ensure rehabilitation. In any case, at professional sports levels, periods can be shortened by the use of more aggressive physiotherapy techniques.

• Local cold: placing cold on the inflamed region favors analgesia and stimulates de-inflammation. That contributes to mobility, by decompressing fluids that disrupt functionality.
• Stand tall: Together with rest, it is recommended to elevate the affected limb for as long as possible. This is done in order to take advantage of gravity and stimulate the inflammatory fluid to return to circulation.
• Compressive bandage: Compressing the ankle with an elastic bandage adds to the other measures that attempt to reduce inflammation. This method forces the liquid back into place.
• Anti-inflammatories: Professionals can prescribe anti-inflammatory medications in appropriate doses to soothe pain and stimulate the healing process. Although they are not drugs that cause the restoration of soft tissues, they work as adjuvants in rehabilitation.

Discover: Degrees and types of sprains

Rehabilitation and return to the court

The sprained right ankle of Joao Félix has fans of Atlético Madrid on edge. Everyone wants to know if he will recover in time for the next games and if he will have a sequel.

The prognosis for these injuries is usually good.. As long as the appropriate rest periods are followed and there is a suitable rehabilitation, the possibilities of returning to the field exist in spades. The fact that professional soccer teams have adequate physiotherapy facilities prepared to maximize the efficiency of the techniques applied in these cases is discounted.

Ankle sprains usually have a recovery period of 15 to 30 days. In principle, this is what should be expected from the footballer's rest before resuming his position.