Sprained Ankles - what are they and what should I do about them?
Rolled, twisted, sprained ankles are a common injury which can happen on the sporting field or in your everyday life when there is a step you didn’t see or a slippery floor. What does a sprain ankle actually mean and what should you do if you get a sprained ankle?
What is a sprained ankle?
Sprained ankles occur when there is an overstretching of ligaments that support the ankle. It is more common for your foot to roll out rather than in and therefore it is more common to overstretch or strain the ligaments on the outside of your ankle.
There are different types of sprains which are graded from 1-3 depending on the amount of tissue damage that has occurred, with each having a different healing time.
What causes ankle sprains?
Usually, it is from an awkward and unusual position which leads to overstretching and straining of the ligaments that support your ankle joint.
Some of the situations which can result in an ankle sprain include
When playing sport on an uneven surface
Landing awkwardly or unbalanced from a jump
When there is a sudden change of surface levels such as a step
In heels when the heel gets caught on the footpath
When your foot gets stuck in a grate or gutter and you fall the opposite way
Landing on someone's foot or an object
What are the symptoms of a sprained ankle?
Ankle pain
Swelling, bruising or redness around the ankle
Tenderness over the side of the ankle
Difficulty weight bearing or walking on that leg
Decrease in ankle movement
What is the treatment for sprained ankles?
Initially in the first 72 hours you want to follow the RICER principle. Yes this means if you roll your ankle during sports you should start your recovery as soon as possible even if that means you don’t finish playing the game.
R - Rest. Avoid activities where you use or put weight on the ankle. Avoid aggravating movements which cause pain.
I - Ice. Apply ice or cold to the injured area for 20 minutes every couple of hours.
C - Compression. Apply a firm but not tight bandage around the ankle and lower leg. At any stage if you feel numb or cold this may indicate the bandage is too tight so remove the bandage.
E - Elevate. When you are resting, try to elevate your leg so that your foot is above your heart.
R - Refer to your GP or health professional. If there is significant injury or symptoms for multiple days after injury you should visit a health professional for advice and further management.
After the initial stage it is important to ensure further injury does not occur even if it's just a small ankle sprain for you.
After the swelling has reduced and you are on your way to recovery your first goal is to improve your ankle range of motion. This often involves exercises and hands on treatment to encourage correct tissue healing.
After range of motion and encouraging correct healing, the focus is on restoring and improving muscle strength in your calves, around your foot and ankle and sometimes up into your legs and glutes (muscles in your bottom).
There is also a focus on building up proprioception of your foot. Proprioception is the knowledge of where a part of your body is, for example when you hold your arm out and close your eyes you know where your arm is in relation to your body and what's around you. By improving proprioception we have a better understanding of where our body is positioned and what positions we want to avoid. So if there is a sudden change in environment such as a step we can better adapt so our ankle doesn’t end up in a position where excessive stress is being put on the ankle ligaments.
How can I prevent another sprained ankle?
In one word rehab! Once you have sprained your ankle you have an increased risk of spraining it again. This is largely due to the fact that the supportive structures around your ankle have been injured and weakened. So we need to build up the strength of the muscle and ligaments. Some exercises which might be given to help you avoid further injuries including standing on one leg, ankle range of motion exercises and calf raises.
Every ankle injury should be treated seriously and not just pushed aside. Whether you’ve recently strained it or it’s been a while, advice and treatment may still be beneficial, so get in contact with your trusted health practitioner such as your GP or someone with musculoskeletal knowledge such as an Osteopath for best advice. You can call Osteo for Families on 0416 161 411 or book via our website https://osteo4families.cliniko.com/bookings#service to see our Osteopaths who have experience in treating ankle injuries.
Footnotes: https://physioworks.com.au/injury-conditions-1/sprained-ankle/
https://www.healthline.com/health/sprained-ankle-exercises#balance-exercises
Written by Mariella Berry
