Acute Ankle Sprains: At-Home Treatment and when you should see a doctor
Have you ever rolled your ankle after missing a stair step or slipping on a slick surface? Rolling or over stretching the ankles can cause a sprain if the ligaments in your ankle are pulled hard enough. Sprained ankles are a common injury. They can happen almost anywhere and to anyone.
Levels of Ankle Sprains
There are three levels to grading an ankle sprain:
Grade 1: There are no ligaments that are torn and you are still able to walk. However, there is swelling and stiffness in your ankle.
Grade 2: There is an incomplete tear of a ligament, with moderate pain and swelling, bruising, stiffness. Walking is painful and the ankle is tender to the touch.
Grade 3: There is a complete tear of a ligament causing the ankle to feel unstable, not allowing you to walk. You will feel intense pain with severe swelling and bruising.
No matter the grade of the ankle sprain, you should treat your ankle right away.
At-Home Ankle Sprain Treatments
Staying off your ankle is the most important factor for a proper heal. We recommend using the P.R.I.C.E method of recovery, especially for mild to moderate ankle sprains.
Protection: Protect the injured area by limiting weight bearing (i.e. using crutches)
Rest: Take a break from activities and relax.
Ice: Applying ice to your injury will decrease the swelling (10-15 minutes)
Compression: Use compression wraps to decrease the swelling
Elevation: Keep your ankle above the level of your heart to help decrease swelling
You can also take over-the-counter pain medications, like ibuprofen, to alleviate your pain.
When to See a Doctor
If you cannot put bear any weight through your ankle when walking and your pain feels extreme, you should go see a doctor. Your doctor can take an x-ray of your ankle and perform a physical exam to determine if any ligaments have been torn and how serious the injury is. You should also see your doctor if your pain continues and you fear your ankle is healing improperly. However, please note that injuries like these will take time to heal so you must be patient.
At-Home Exercises
Though it may seem counter-intuitive, for your ankle to heal well and be strong enough to lift your body, you’ll need to perform some exercises while you are recovering. Performing exercises will promote blood flow and tissue healing, as well as improve mobility of your ankle. Here are a few exercises to start with right after an ankle sprain.
Range-of-motion exercises
Range-of-motion exercises should begin right after your injury. Try doing these exercises then putting ice on your ankle, up to 5 times a day. These are easy to do while you are at a desk or watching TV.
Trace the alphabet with your toe, which encourages ankle movement in all directions. Trace the alphabet 1 to 3 times.
Sit in a chair with your foot flat on the floor. Slowly move your knee side to side while keeping your foot flat. Continue for 2 to 3 minutes.
Stretching exercises
Start exercises to stretch your achilles tendon as soon as you can do so without pain. The achilles tendon connects the calf muscles to your heel bone. Try the towel stretch if you need to sit down, or try the calf stretch if you can stand.
Towel stretch: Sit with your leg straight in front of you. Place a rolled towel or strap under the ball of your foot, holding it at both ends. Gently pull the towel toward you while keeping your knee straight. You should feel a gentle pull or stretch in your calf. Hold this position for 15 to 30 seconds, and repeat 2 to 4 times. In moderate to severe ankle sprains, it may be too painful at first to pull your toes far enough to feel a stretch in your calf. Use caution, and let pain be your guide.
Calf stretch (if you are able to stand and weight bear): Stand facing a wall with your hands on the wall at about eye level. Put the leg you want to stretch about a step behind your other leg. Keep your back heel on the floor, bend your front knee until you feel a stretch in the back leg. Hold the stretch for 15 to 30 seconds. Repeat 2 to 4 times. Repeat the exercise with the back knee bent a little, still keeping your back heel on the floor. This will stretch a different part of the calf muscles.
Sprained ankles are common, so if you get one, don’t panic. We are here to help you.
Written by Daniel Le, DPT