foot

DISCLAIMER:
THE FOLLOWING IS OFFERED GRATIS AS GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY, AND, AS SUCH, MAY NOT BE APPLICABLE TO THE SPECIFIC QUESTIONER AND/OR HIS/HER PROBLEM. IT IS CLEARLY NOT BASED ON ACTUAL KNOWLEDGE AND/OR EXAMINATION OF THE QUESTIONER OR HIS/HER MEDICAL HISTORY, AND IT CAN NOT AND SHOULD NOT BE RELIED UPON AS DEFINITIVE MEDICAL OPINION OR ADVICE. ONLY THROUGH HANDS- ON PHYSICAL CONTACT WITH THE ACTUAL PATIENT CAN ACCURATE MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS BE ESTABLISHED AND SPECIFIC ADVICE BE GIVEN. NO DOCTOR/PATIENT RELATIONSHIP IS CREATED OR ESTABLISHED OR MAY BE INFERRED. THE QUESTIONER AND/OR READER IS INSTRUCTED TO CONSULT HIS OR HER OWN DOCTOR BEFORE PROCEEDING WITH ANY SUGGESTIONS CONTAINED HEREIN, AND TO ACT ONLY UPON HIS/HER OWN DOCTOR’S ORDERS AND RECOMMENDATIONS. BY THE READING OF MY POSTING WHICH FOLLOWS, THE READER STIPULATES AND CONFIRMS THAT HE/SHE FULLY UNDERSTANDS THIS DISCLAIMER AND HOLDS HARMLESS THIS WRITER. IF THIS IS NOT FULLY AGREEABLE TO YOU, THE READER, AND/OR YOU HAVE NOT ATTAINED THE AGE OF 18 YEARS, YOU HEREBY ARE ADMONISHED TO READ NO FURTHER.
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The words "only" and "sprain" do not necessarily go together. A sprain is a stretching of a ligament beyond its normal capacity, resulting in anything from a minor injury to the ligament to a complete tear of the ligament to an avulsion of the ligament from the bone, depending on the severity of the trauma. Ligament injuries can be far more serious in the long term than fractures, as they are often slow and/or incomplete to heal, and once torn, ligaments heal only with fibrous scar tissue rather than elastic ligamentous tissue which is necessary for their intended function. Swelling is a normal bodily function, both likely intended to splint the area of injury and as a side effect of bringing healing and reparitive tissue elements to the trauma site. Some patients tend to swell more and longer than others, often dependent upon the patency of their venous and lymphatic return. Standard initial treatment of sprains generally includes cold applications, with appropriate care not to injure possibly already compromised tissues or further compromise poor circulation, properly applied compression and elevation of the part. But all that being said, I would judge that your diagnosis was more than likely merely a guess, perhaps occasioned only by the ruling out of a fracture.

Keep in mind that this and forums such as this are not appropriate venues for either the making of diagnoses or the recommending of case-relevant treatment advice, but merely a source of general information which may or may not pertaining to the questioner's individual situation.

Check with the treating doctor for case-specific recommendations.