Ankle sprains

If you have very recently sprained your ankle it will probably be very painful, this is normal, you should, however be able to put some of your weight through it, if you cannot put any of your weight through it you will probably need an X-ray.

Ankle injuries are among the most common injuries to sporting and non-sporting people and are responsible for over 300,000 visits to A&E each year. Most ankle injuries involve ‘going over’ on the ankle, causing injury to the ligaments and tendons on the outside of the ankle. A simple ankle injury generally heals well over a period of 4-6 weeks. In the early stages you should follow the RICE advice on Recent Injury Management, after the first few days you should begin gentle range of movement exercises and progress on as pain allows. It is important to rehabilitate the ankle properly especially in the sporting population to prevent prolonged symptoms, decreased performance and the risk of recurrence.

The main cause of recurrence comes from inhibition of the vital muscles that control the position of the ankle following injury especially if there is ligament damage. Injury around these muscles can inhibit them causing delayed firing and further ankle injuries. In order to protect an ankle following injury it is important to perform increasingly challenging exercises to re-educate the muscles of the ankle to do their job properly. In the meantime return to contact and field sports, within the same season, are recommended with additional support only (taping or bracing).

What if it is not getting better after 6 weeks?

Some ankle injuries do not progress well, patients generally complain of persistent pain, stiffness and giving way or instability. This may be due inadequate rehabilitation or damage to another structure sustained at the time of injury.

If your ankle pain is not settling after 4-6 weeks it is important to have a thorough assessment to discover why improvement is not being made.