Sprained（扭伤）Ankle One ofthe most common injuries teenagers and adults experience is a sprained ankle. Asprain oc-curs when the ligaments(韧带)of a joint are twisted（扭伤） and possibly torn.Ligaments are bands offibers that hold the bones of a joint in position. Asprain can occur from a sudden twisting at the joint,or a stretching or tearingof the fibers of the ligaments. The injured area usually swells(肿胀) and be-comes blackand blue. Stepping off the sidewalk at the wrong angle or having one foot landin a holewhile walking or running can leave you rolling on the ground in painwith an ankle on firel If you can-notwalk without experiencing intense pain, you must seek medical help. If the painis manageable,andyou can walk,here are three words to help you remember how totreat yourself:Elevate（抬高）Co01 Bandage(打绷带) As soonas there is injury to that ligament,there will be a certain amount of bleedingunder the skin Oncethe blood pools around the damaged blood vessels,swellingoccurs. The pressure from the swelling results inadditional stress andtenderness to the region In order to reduce the degree of swelling,lie down assoon aspossible and keep the ankle elevated so that it is actually higher thanyour heart. Next, to reduce blood distri-bution and keep bleeding to aminimum,apply a cold pack After 20minutes,take the pack off, wait half anhour and then reapply. This can be doneseveral times a day for a total of three days. Neverleave a cold pack on for more than 20 minutes at a time. Reducing thetemperature in that area foran extended period of time signals the body toincrease blood flow to raise the body temperature! Therefore,one accidentallytriggers more blood distribution to the affected area by leaving a cold pack onfor too long!Finally, bandage the ankle. Be careful not to wind it too tightly;doing so can restrict blood flow and cause harmto the entire foot Asprain is caused by