“Can I walk on a sprained ankle?”

Most patients can walk on a grade 1 ankle sprain. Grade 2 and 3 ankle sprains usually require some sort of offloading boot or period of limited weight-bearing.

Not unprotected. Get evaluated.

Hi! I would recommend an evaluation by a podiatrist. A sprained ankle can be walked on with an ankle brace and if needed a walking boot.

Usually doctors do not recommend continue to use a body part that is injured, we recommend a full diagnosis first.

I recommend you make an appointment with a foot and ankle specialist (podiatrist) for diagnosis and treatment options.

Yes, you can walk on a sprained ankle, but I would recommend a brace or some supportive device depending on the severity of the sprain

That's an excellent question. It depends on what type of ankle "sprain" you have. There are a few varieties, but you can often think of them as either "high" or "low" ankle sprains. High ankle sprains involve injuries of the syndesmosis, or the ligaments stabilizing your tibia and fibula. These are often the more severe type and can require surgery. These are the ones that you also should not walk on. The other variety, low ankle sprains, are generally less severe and rarely require surgery. You can generally walk on these, though early along (the first 1-2 weeks) you may have less pain and risk of reinjury if you stay off of the ankle. After that point, ankle braces and physical therapy are usually the treatment that most reliably will get you back into the full swing of things. It's very important to determine which type of ankle sprain you have and moreover the severity of the sprain before proceeding with a definitive management strategy. So I would encourage you to follow up with your local orthopedist!

Typically no, but it depends on the grade of ankle sprain. Typically you should rest the ankle for 48-72 hours before gradually returning to activity. But again, it depends. See your doctor.