Ankle Sprain
What is an ankle sprain?
An ankle sprain occurs when one or more of the ligaments attaching bone to bone is injured. This can happen when you stretch your foot too far in one direction or twist or turn your foot too far. There are many, many causes that can lead to an ankle sprain, including: missing a stair, stepping on a rock or root or toy, being in a car accident, being injured while playing a sport, losing balance while wearing high heels, or starting an intense workout without warming up.
How is this different from an ankle strain?
Ankle strain occurs when the tendons attaching muscle to bone get injured. Part of a physical therapist’s specialty is being able to determine whether you have a sprain or strain, determining which part of the ankle that injury is on, and showing you exercises that support the injured structure without causing further damage.
"and the broken foot" by westman is marked with CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
How does a physical therapist help?
A physical therapist can help you safely regain strength, range of motion, and balance in order to help you get back to your desired activities. The methods used to reach these goals depends on the severity of the sprain, your typical level of activity before the injury, and the resources available to you during recovery.
With a mild ankle sprain, the ligament has sustained minimal damage. You will typically experience some swelling and tenderness with only a small impact on your movement. Oftentimes, people with a sprain of this level will choose to treat it themselves at home, though seeing a PT or your primary care provider is also an option.
In moderate ankle sprains, the ligament has sustained more damage from excessive stretching but is still overall intact. You might experience moderate levels of swelling, pain, and tenderness with limited range of motion, impaired movement, and trouble with balance. If you see a PT for a moderate ankle sprain, you will likely receive guidance on appropriate exercises to strengthen supportive muscles. Your PT may also recommend equipment such as crutches, a walker, a brace, a boot, or similar devices depending on your needs.
Severe ankle sprains indicate there is a complete tear in the ligament. It is usually accompanied by lots of swelling, tenderness, and pain with a large impact on movement, range of motion, and balance. Sprains of this level are more likely to include devices such as knee scooters and crutches as part of treatment. You can almost certainly expect exercises but may be prescribed a long period of rest first. A severe ankle sprain sounds like surgery would be required but in many cases, it’s actually not! Of course, this decision would be up to you and your potential surgeon.
I’d love to hear about your personal experience with recovering from an ankle sprain in the comments below! Do you know if it was mild, moderate, or severe? Did you treat it yourself or get help from a healthcare professional? Were you able to return to your desired activities?
If you’re interested in learning more, check out one of these sites:
