Acute ankle sprains, what should I do?

We’ve all stepped awkwardly slightly twisting an ankle at some point and thought that was a bit clumsy! But if you have immediate pain, swelling, bruising, instability or can no longer bear weight you likely have sprained your ankle…

Ankle sprains often happen during rapid changes in direction in multi-directional sports such as netball, soccer or rugby, or when walking on uneven ground. Typically the ankle rolls outwards and the foot turns inwards straining the lateral supporting muscles, tendons and ligaments.

Implications of a lateral ankle sprain vary in severity and may involve aspects of peroneal tendinopathy, anterior talofibular ligament tear [weakest and injured first] calcaneofibular ligament tear [injured in more severe ankle sprains] posterior tibiotalar ligament tear [strongest and rarely injured in isolation] or bone fracture [common in youth and elderly].

If you or someone you know has a suspected ankle sprain in the first 48hrs post injury it is important to rest, ice, compress & elevate the ankle. Use crutches to walk and take an oral anti-inflammatory medication such as Ibuprofen as directed to manage pain and reduce swelling. 1-2 days post injury you should seek specialist assessment from your Podiatrist to determine the severity of injury and commence a rehabilitation program to prevent long term weakness and instability. Our individually tailored rehabilitation programs aim to return normal ankle range of motion, strengthen supporting muscles, improve proprioception/balance and return you to functional activities and sport as soon as safely possible while reducing risk of recurrent ankle sprains.

For further information about ankle sprains or if you would like to book a consult with our Podiatrists at Simply Feet Podiatry click "Contact Us"