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Therapy & Training Tips

Ankle Sprains

As the spring sports season approaches, we often times find our desire to be outside is ahead of our level of physical fitness and the conditions of the fields/roads. Ankle sprains, twisting injuries to the ligaments, are quite common -- especially to the lateral, outside of the ankle. The most common ankle sprain is to the anterior talofibular ligament, seen in the diagram to the right. Often times people consider this a twist or rolling of the ankle. Sprains are graded trace to grade IV. Bad ankle sprains can be worse than a fracture.

The acute treatment of any sprain is RICE: rest, ice, compression and elevation. Any acute injury should follow these rules for 48-72 hours. Ice will help to minimize the bleeding and/or swelling from infiltrating the area. The next 48-72 hours should allow for the swelling to dissipate and get the motion back into the foot and ankle. Immobilizing/bracing the area of injury is necessary to ensure that the ligamentous integrity can heal to the best possible position. During this healing phase you want to maintain Achilles flexibility, muscle function and proprioception/balance.

When icing, a bag of frozen vegetables or usable gel pack work very well. A layer of protection should be applied between the skin and the tissue. Ice can be applied for 10-15 minutes every hour the first 24-48 hours and then 2-3 times per day as the swelling diminishes.

The best treatment is to get to the injury early. The faster the swelling is controlled, the faster the recovery begins. Any injury of significance -- pain, swelling or deformity -- requires a medical evaluation. Knowing the severity of an injury will help you gauge how fast to return to your activities.

Good luck and contact us if you need us!