“How can I heal a sprained ankle?”
I am a 32 year old male and my ankle is sprained. How can I heal a sprained ankle?
6 Answers
Great question, and a very common one.
About 10,000 ankle sprains happen in the US every day and are often under treated by primary care docs and other health care providers.
Simple treatments such as rest, elevation, ice and compression are good in the first 12-24 hours, but a few more modalities are needed after this.
Keep in mind a sprain of any joint in the human body by definition is an injury to the stabilizing ligaments of that joint. They are either stretched (Grade 1), partial torn (Grade 2) or completely torn or ruptured (Grade 3). Thus, depending on the severity an ankle sprain can sometimes indeed be as bad as a bone fracture.
With bad sprains (severe swelling, bruising, pain, limp while walking or inability to walk) an orthopedic walking boot (easily purchased online) is recommended for the first 10-14 days. This provides rigid immobilization and support to the ankle, facilitating decreased swelling and pain, and allowing the patient to walk. If the sprain is not as bad, or after the boot, a medical grade brace that can be worn with a shoe is recommended, such as an ASO brace (again available online). This provides support and compression but is less cumbersome than the boot. This is typically worn for about 6-8 weeks.
In addition, during the first 2-3 weeks of a sprain the body is generating an inflammatory reaction around the ankle joint in response to the injury. To address this one should consider the use of an over the counter anti-inflammatory such as ibuprofen, motrin or aleve. Take an appropriate dose 2-3 times per day. Obviously consult with your primary care doc if there are any concerns about taking this if you have other medical conditions.
Lastly, the #1 reason to have long lasting issues after an ankle sprain is the lack of appropriate rehabilitation. Meaning, physical therapy is important. So, at a minimum one should work with a physical therapist for at least 2-3 visits to be taught an extensive home exercise program and be educated on the equipment needed to do this (theraband & BAPS board, both available online).
If after 10-12 weeks significant pain or instability (ankle rolling frequently even with brace) persist then seek evaluation with a foot and ankle trained orthopedic surgeon.
About 10,000 ankle sprains happen in the US every day and are often under treated by primary care docs and other health care providers.
Simple treatments such as rest, elevation, ice and compression are good in the first 12-24 hours, but a few more modalities are needed after this.
Keep in mind a sprain of any joint in the human body by definition is an injury to the stabilizing ligaments of that joint. They are either stretched (Grade 1), partial torn (Grade 2) or completely torn or ruptured (Grade 3). Thus, depending on the severity an ankle sprain can sometimes indeed be as bad as a bone fracture.
With bad sprains (severe swelling, bruising, pain, limp while walking or inability to walk) an orthopedic walking boot (easily purchased online) is recommended for the first 10-14 days. This provides rigid immobilization and support to the ankle, facilitating decreased swelling and pain, and allowing the patient to walk. If the sprain is not as bad, or after the boot, a medical grade brace that can be worn with a shoe is recommended, such as an ASO brace (again available online). This provides support and compression but is less cumbersome than the boot. This is typically worn for about 6-8 weeks.
In addition, during the first 2-3 weeks of a sprain the body is generating an inflammatory reaction around the ankle joint in response to the injury. To address this one should consider the use of an over the counter anti-inflammatory such as ibuprofen, motrin or aleve. Take an appropriate dose 2-3 times per day. Obviously consult with your primary care doc if there are any concerns about taking this if you have other medical conditions.
Lastly, the #1 reason to have long lasting issues after an ankle sprain is the lack of appropriate rehabilitation. Meaning, physical therapy is important. So, at a minimum one should work with a physical therapist for at least 2-3 visits to be taught an extensive home exercise program and be educated on the equipment needed to do this (theraband & BAPS board, both available online).
If after 10-12 weeks significant pain or instability (ankle rolling frequently even with brace) persist then seek evaluation with a foot and ankle trained orthopedic surgeon.
Immobilization for 4-6 wks followed by PT. Avoid high impact activity for that time as well. Ice and anti-inflammatory meds as well.
In the first 2-3 weeks the advice is rest, gentle compression such as using an Ace wrap, icing as needed for pain relief and elevation as needed. If symptoms are not resolving then you need to obtain x-rays and perhaps an MRI study and consult a specialist familiar with musculoskeletal injuries.
Rest, ice, compression, elevation, anti-inflammatory medicines (Advil, Aleve, etc.). It takes 1-3 weeks for it to get better. Then do exercises for the peroneal muscles in the lower leg to improve stability.
The best and fastest way to heal a sprained ankle is to not re-sprain your ankle trying to get back to sports early. Use ice, rest, advil, and a brace Fancier, but more costly methods include PT and ultrasound treatments may speed up the healing process. It will take 3-4 weeks to heal IF you do not re-injure it during the healing process.
Hope it helps!!
Dr. Bose
Hope it helps!!
Dr. Bose
Physical therapy
