Any sprain is a hindrance to athletes and athletic trainers alike.  The ankle sprain especially takes away from training and game time, leaving your athlete on crutches and in physical therapy.  Swelling, discoloration, and pain are all indications that your athlete has a sprained ankle.¹  Depending on the severity, it could take two months for them to return to training.¹  What if you could use a product to reduce the inflammation and pain faster and help the ankle heal faster?  Would you use it?

SportsWrap by PolyMem wraps, as well as PolyMem QuadraFoam wound dressings, can help reduce inflammation, edema, bruising and pain without the use of drugs. By placing the SportsWrap or PolyMem dressing in direct contact with your injured athlete's sprained ankle, you will be helping reduce the inflammatory reaction at the injury site and in surrounding, uninjured areas – even through intact skin.  There is evidence suggesting that the dressing might absorb sodium ions, by capillary action, from the skin and from the subcutaneous tissues.² If this is true, then this local decrease in sodium ion concentration would result in reduced nociceptor nerve conduction, which could account for the observed pain relief.^2,3  By reducing the inflammation, pain and edema SportsWrap by PolyMem and PolyMem wound dressings help accelerate the healing process.^3,4 

PolyMem dressings and wraps also help to relieve persistent injury-related or wound-related pain.  Reducing the inflammatory reaction helps to relieve pain.  SportsWrap and PolyMem wound dressings help to inhibit the nociceptor response at the injury site. The inhibition of the nociceptor response occurs without interfering with the robust localized inflammatory response required for healing.³ 

The PolyMem formulation is a drug-free solution to managing a sprained ankle.

PolyMem pink and silver sterile wound dressing may be used when the skin is broken or intact. SportsWrap are green, non-sterile wraps and should be used only on injuries where the skin is unbroken.

Even though SportsWrap and PolyMem wound dressings help reduce pain, inflammation and edema, it is still necessary to continue to follow the standard of care for prevention of future injury. A brace or a cast should be used during training or games to help prevent future injury since the injured ankle has an increased risk of another sprain.⁵ 

PolyMem QuadraFoam dressings are available in a variety of shapes, sizes, thicknesses, with or without adhesive tape borders, and with or without antimicrobial silver.  SportsWrap by PolyMem is available in a variety of lengths for optimal coverage. 

For more information on the PolyMem QuadraFoam family of dressings and how to evaluate or order, please contact us.

Search anywhere in the sports medicine literature, injuries to the ankle are the most common in athletes.  There are probably more articles, tips, and pearls of wisdom written and exchanged on the proper care of ankle injuries, strategies to minimize time loss, and technique to hasten rehabilitation and return to play than any other injury. When an athlete lands in the wrong position, steps on another player's foot, steps in a hole, etc. the damage is done.  The forces transmitted beyond the scope of the functional anatomy result in tissue damage. It is our job to assist the body to heal and repair by creating a favorable environment.

ICE - ice, compression, and elevation - has been the commandment in acute management of ankle sprains. It is an effective mandate learned early and applied often. However, even with immediate application and compliant athletes, we can improve the healing environment, pain relief, and localization of inflammation to the damaged tissue. Now there is another tool to use in acute ankle injury management.  Applying SportsWrap directly to the skin, as the first layer before using any other of the ICE strategies assists in creating a favorable healing environment.  In the rare case where there is a break in the skin, then PolyMem - the sterile pink dressing - is your best choice.  The QuadraFoam formulation of SportsWrap and PolyMem assists in pain relief, minimizing and reducing swelling, and localizing inflammation. 

By incorporating SportsWrap and/or PolyMem in the management of ankle sprains your athletes will benefit from a reduction of damage to healthy tissue, a decrease in pain, an increase in functional ability, and a quicker return to play. 

Cheers,
Ed Ryan, ATC

1 Rouzier, P. The Sports Medicine Patient Advisor. 2nd edition. McKesson Health Solutions LLC. 2004. p 235-8.
2 Hayden JK, Cole BJ. The effectiveness of a pain wrap compared to a standard dressing on the reduction of postoperative morbidity following routine knee arthroscopy: A prospective randomized single blind study.
Orthopedics, 2003;26:59-63
3 Beitz AF, Newman A, Kahn AR, Ruggles R, Eikmejer L. Polymeric Membrane Dressing With Antinociceptive Properties: Analysis With a Rodent Model of Stab Wound Secondary Hyperalgesia: The Journal of Pain. 2004 Feb;5(1):38-47.
4 Kahn AR, Sessions RW, Aposova EV. Superficial Cutaneous Dressings Inhibit Pain, Inflammation, and Swelling In Deep Tissues; Poster #600 World Pain Conference. July 15-21, 2000. Pain Medicine 2000;1(2):187.
5 Robers WO. Bull's Handbook of Sports Injuries. 2nd edition. McGraw-Hill Medical Publishing Division. 2004. p 351-4.

PolyMem, SportsWrap, and QuadraFoam are trademarks of Ferris. The marks may be registered or pending in the US Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries. © 2010 Ferris Mfg. Corp. All rights reserved. 16W300 83rd Street, Burr Ridge, IL, USA 60527

MKL-513,REV-0,0610

An example of PolyMem QuadraFoam in use on an ankle sprain.

Click here to view a copy.




"Although ankle injuries are among the most common injuries that occur in athletes, the severity and degree of these injuries vary greatly owing to the complexity of the ankle and surrounding structures. Compared with lateral ankle sprains, syndesmotic or high ankle sprains occur less often in the general and sport populations and usually experience a longer recovery period further compounding the difficulty of evaluating and treating this type of injury. Syndesmotic injuries that have radiographic widening as evidence of disruption are relatively straightforward in terms of making the diagnosis, and therefore directing treatment. However, as seen much more commonly in sports, those sprains with normal radiographic joint and bony relationships are much more difficult to assess in terms of severity. The reason for the difficulty is that diagnosis is dependent on subjective clinical findings. "

To read the full article High Ankle Sprains(Syndesmotic) in Athletes:Diagnostic Challanges and Review of the Literature from the Iowa Orthopaedic Journal click the link to the right.

Have a question or comment about QuadraFoam products or use?  Join our Sports Forum and discuss.

PolyMem representatives will be available at the following events to answer your questions:

• Wilderness Medicine in Santa Fe, NM on May 27-28
• Athletic College of Sports Medicine in Baltimore, MD on June 1-4
• PHATS in Ft. Lauderdale, FL on June 12-16
• National Athletic Trainer Association in Philadelphia, PA on June 23-25
• Far West Athletic Trainer Association in Honolulu, HI on June 30 – July 3
• Texas High School Coaches Association in San Antonio, TX on July 18-21
• Southwest Athletic Trainer Association in Arlington, TX on July 22-25

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