“How long does an ankle ligament injury take to heal?”
I have an ankle ligament injury. How long does an ankle ligament injury take to heal?
16 Answers
Sometimes the ankle ligaments do not heal, but typically an ankle sprain should be recovered by 6 to 12 weeks
At least 6-8 weeks
Ankle ligaments typically take 6-12 weeks to heal. Use of brace to keep motion but avoid stressing ligaments help them heal like more normal ligaments. Then proprioception retraining is recommended David P. Fowler, MD, FAAOS Division Chief, Orthopedic Surgery UPMC East Clinical Assistant Professor of Orthopedic Surgery University of Pittsburgh Medical School
How do you know it's an ankle ligament injury? Depends on the severity. Could be a few days to 4-6 weeks.
Usually 12 weeks before normal activities and 6 months before competitive sports.
Depends on how
Many ligaments
Many ligaments
Hi! In general ligament take 4-6 weeks to heal.
Depending on the stage it may take months to never healing on it's own
The answer is it depends on the ligament damaged or injured, extend of injury, and history of flare ups. THe worst it is the longer the treatment. the more flare ups in the past, the more treatment is needed. etc...please address this with your doctor.
Ligament injuries to the ankle are very common. The ligaments connect bones together. When the ligament stretches beyond its elastic limit, partial or complete tears develop. The most common ligament injury in the ankle is due to a twisting injury of the foot down and in. This can occur from sports, twisting the foot under the leg in a hole or even falling off of a shoe. A thorough evaluation will best determine the injured part and the extent of the injury. With the increased participation in sports at a very young age the frequency of ankle ligament injuries has been rising.
Return to play is carefully determined by the Foot and Ankle Specialist based on the specifics of your sport or activity. Physical therapy is highly necessary for a full recovery and to minimize the recurrence of injury secondary to ankle instability. A gradual increase in activity is encouraged, usually at 10% increments per week. Low impact exercise usually begins once the ligaments appear clinically healed and proprioception is restored to the ankle joint. Sport specific rehabilitation can expedite the recovery of the patient and potentially lead to a faster return to play. Many patients and athletes may need an Ankle brace for several months after return to play is initiated.
Immediate care is necessary to prevent any long-term problems.
Mild injuries associated with minimal swelling may be treated with rest, ice, elevation and an ankle brace. 2-4 weeks for full recovery is typical.
Moderate injuries in which a partial tear has occurred may necessitate immobilization for 2-6 weeks in a removable boot or hard cast.
Severe injuries need to be immobilized in a hard fiberglass cast, or removable boot and brace combination, for 4-6 weeks to allow the ligaments to heal properly. Weight bearing is usually allowed. Sometimes these can take several months to fully recover depending on severity of injury.
Anti-inflammatories such as advil, ibuprofen, aleve, motrin or naprosyn should ALWAYS BE AVOIDED in the first 5-7 days of injury. Ligaments heal with accumulation of growth factors and scarring; these medications lessen inflammation which essentially reduces scarring. This is NOT a good thing to do. Acetominophen, Tylenol, is preferable for pain management, in addition to the Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation protocols.
Physical therapy following bracing or cast removal is necessary to improve muscle strength, ankle stability, joint proprioception and to restore complete ankle range of motion. If left untreated, chronic instability commonly develops. Recurring twisting injuries then occur with minimal stress. This will require chronic use of an ankle brace and physical therapy. Prolotherapy can sometimes be performed to cause inflammation in an attempt to restore or increase stability. This is a series of weekly injections into the ankle ligaments, ultrasound guided with an irritant solution of Dextrose and Lidocaine (sugar water). Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) injections may provide a stimulus to healing If there is chronic instability, surgery would be necessary to surgically reconstruct the ligaments in the ankle and allow a full return to activity. In such cases, the prognosis is excellent.
Return to play is carefully determined by the Foot and Ankle Specialist based on the specifics of your sport or activity. Physical therapy is highly necessary for a full recovery and to minimize the recurrence of injury secondary to ankle instability. A gradual increase in activity is encouraged, usually at 10% increments per week. Low impact exercise usually begins once the ligaments appear clinically healed and proprioception is restored to the ankle joint. Sport specific rehabilitation can expedite the recovery of the patient and potentially lead to a faster return to play. Many patients and athletes may need an Ankle brace for several months after return to play is initiated.
Immediate care is necessary to prevent any long-term problems.
Mild injuries associated with minimal swelling may be treated with rest, ice, elevation and an ankle brace. 2-4 weeks for full recovery is typical.
Moderate injuries in which a partial tear has occurred may necessitate immobilization for 2-6 weeks in a removable boot or hard cast.
Severe injuries need to be immobilized in a hard fiberglass cast, or removable boot and brace combination, for 4-6 weeks to allow the ligaments to heal properly. Weight bearing is usually allowed. Sometimes these can take several months to fully recover depending on severity of injury.
Anti-inflammatories such as advil, ibuprofen, aleve, motrin or naprosyn should ALWAYS BE AVOIDED in the first 5-7 days of injury. Ligaments heal with accumulation of growth factors and scarring; these medications lessen inflammation which essentially reduces scarring. This is NOT a good thing to do. Acetominophen, Tylenol, is preferable for pain management, in addition to the Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation protocols.
Physical therapy following bracing or cast removal is necessary to improve muscle strength, ankle stability, joint proprioception and to restore complete ankle range of motion. If left untreated, chronic instability commonly develops. Recurring twisting injuries then occur with minimal stress. This will require chronic use of an ankle brace and physical therapy. Prolotherapy can sometimes be performed to cause inflammation in an attempt to restore or increase stability. This is a series of weekly injections into the ankle ligaments, ultrasound guided with an irritant solution of Dextrose and Lidocaine (sugar water). Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) injections may provide a stimulus to healing If there is chronic instability, surgery would be necessary to surgically reconstruct the ligaments in the ankle and allow a full return to activity. In such cases, the prognosis is excellent.
It can take 6-8 weeks based on the severity of the injury and the mechanism of the injury. The ligament will be sprained, strand, and elongated meaning you will feel a change in your gait and patter of mobility.
Soft tissue injuries may take months to heal, and sometimes require surgical repair. Physical therapy with a BAPS board may be effective. But sometimes surgery
Vincent Coppola
Podiatrist (Foot and Ankle Specialist)
4-8 weeks depending on the level of injury.
6 weeks
Healing will vary depending on the severity of the injury. I recommend you make an appointment with a foot and ankle specialist (Podiatrist) for evaluation and treatment options.
It can take between 4 to 6 weeks for ankle sprains to heal, however with proper treatment such as initial immobilization followed by therapy and strengthening, they can heal quicker.
