D. Rose and a turn of events...his sprained ankle

At yesterday's Bulls game, their best player and possible MVP of the season Derrick Rose went up for a layup... and "turned" his ankle. Ultimately, the first place Bulls lost the game, but they are still ahead in the series. All the talk is how will their highest scorer come back after an ankle sprain?
It happens to many of us, wether you are a weekend warrior or a seasoned athlete... an ankle sprain may set you back, but there are a few things you can do in the case of an ankle injury: RICE is the most common pneumonic.
Rest:
The first 24-48 hours after the injury is considered a critical treatment period and you must adhere to this. Gradually put as much weight on the involved ankle as tolerated, but not if you have pain.
Ice:
For the first 48 hours post-injury, ice is very important. Use an ice pack and elevate the ankle. The ice pack can be a bag of frozen vegetables (peas or corn), allowing you to be able to re-use the bag. Do NOT ice an ankle sprain for more than 20 minutes at a time, and do not place the ice directly on the skin; there should be a cloth or towel in between. You will not be helping heal the ankle sprain any faster, and you can cause damage to the tissues!
Compression:
Use compression when elevating the ankle sprain in early treatment. Using an Ace bandage, starting with the toes and moving upwards, overlapping the elastic wrap by one-half of the width of the wrap. The wrap should be snug, but not cutting off circulation to the foot and ankle. If your foot becomes cold, blue, or toes feel numb, it is too tight... re-wrap!
Elevate:
Keep your ankle sprain higher than your heart as often as possible.

Keeping these key points in mind, you may be on your way to healing that ankle sprain... but remember, it never hurts to get it checked out by your podiatrist in order to determine anything more severe such as a tear of one of the ankle ligaments, or to rule out a fracture in one of the bones, in severe cases.
More severe ankle sprain injuries, including complete tears of the ligaments and fractures of the bone may need different treatment and rehab than a simple ankle sprain.

Let's hope D. Rose and his trainers adhere to these... and we see him on the court ASAP.

It's not just a piece of glass... what should I do if I get a puncture wound?

Serena Williams, who won her fourth Wimbledon crown and 13th major title in July of 2010, has been sidelined due to a foot injury. But that injury was not sustained on the court... rather it was sustained when a piece of glass pierced her foot. She was in a restaurant in Munich when she said she looked down and noticed blood on the floor... and then saw shattered glass. She was wearing sandals and sustained an injury. Although she did go to the hospital and receive immediate treatment, other complications stemming from that injury have prevented her from getting back on the court. Nevertheless, it brings a good question to light...What should you do if you ever do get a puncture wound, whether it be a piece of glass, or a nail, or maybe you don't even know what it is?

Puncture wounds are not the same as a cut. A puncture has a small entry hole caused by a foreign object, and require different treatments from cuts because if left untreated, they may lead to serious injury or infection. Proper treatment within the first 24 hours is necessary because the longer you wait, the more chance for that object to become imbedded deeper into your foot, or may even cause infection. Get a tetanus shot if needed... know your tetanus status! This will prevent a serious illness caused by a specific bacteria that can affect the nervous system. It is imperative to see a foot and ankle surgeon within 24 hours, and follow her instructions, which may include her having to anesthetize, (or numb up with lidocaine/novacaine), the area and attempt to remove the object after taking a set of xrays to try and locate it. She may use sterile instruments such as tweezers to remove the object. If you feel that the object is no longer there but you know the skin was punctured, you should still see a podiatrist in order to make sure there is no local infection. If she determines that there may be, then you may be given an prescription for a course of oral antibiotics to prevent the infection from spreading.

So what can start out as a simple piece of glass can lead to other major problems if proper measures are not followed!... and then it is not just a piece of glass.