What is it?
An ankle sprain is an injury where one or more ligaments in the ankle are stretched, partially torn, or completely torn, usually due to twisting or rolling the ankle awkwardly.
Who is at risk?
Anyone can sprain an ankle, but certain people and situations increase the risk significantly. Here are some common risk factors:
- Athletes/active individuals who participate in sports involving jumping, running or quick directional changes
- Walking or running over uneven surfaces
- Individuals with poor balance or weak lower limb muscles
- People with a history of ankle sprains
- Older adults
- Improper footwear (high heels, flip-flops or worn out shoes can be causes of instability)
- People with foot or gait abnormalities
What are some common symptoms?
- Pain, especially when bearing weight
- Swelling
- Bruising
- Tenderness
- Limited range of motion
- A popping sensation at the time of injury (in some cases)
Causes?
Most sprains happen when the foot rolls inward or outward suddenly, which can occur during:
- Sports activities
- Walking or running on uneven surfaces
- Missing a step or landing awkwardly
- Wearing improper footwear
How is it diagnosed?
A physical examination is often adequate to make the diagnosis. Scans such as an X-ray, ultrasound or MRI may be ordered to rule out a fracture or determine the severity of the sprain.
Do I need surgery?
Often rehabilitation begins right away, however there are cases where surgery may be recommended, particularly in instances of higher grade sprains or chronic ankle instability and depending on individual goals.
How long will recovery take?
- Mild sprains: A few days to 2 weeks
- Moderate sprains: 3 to 6 weeks
- Severe sprains: 8+ weeks
Can it come back?
As mentioned above, having a history of ankle sprains (or even just one!) predisposes you to have a higher chance of recurrent sprains. To reduce the risk of repeatedly injuring your ankle, it is imperative that you follow through with proper rehabilitation.
What does treatment look like?
Right after a sprain, depending on severity symptoms (such as swelling and pain), the RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) principle may be applied. It is within your best interests to get it moving as soon as possible within reason however as this has been shown to provide the most optimal healing outcomes.
Rehabilitation of an ankle sprain often continues over weeks to months depending again on the severity of injury and typically involves restoring range of motion, strength, balance and proprioception along with task or sports-specific requirements of the foot and ankle.
How can I prevent this?
- Warm up before any physical activity
- Wear supportive footwear
- Strengthen ankle and leg muscles
- Improve balance and coordination
- Use ankle braces if you have a history of sprains
