Signs and Symptoms:

• Swelling
• Discoloration
• May hear a popping sound when injury occurs
• Decreased range of motion
• Mild to severe pain in the ankle

Injury Description:

• A lateral ankle sprain usually occurs to the outside on the ankle when the ankle is inverted, or rolled outwardly, past normal range of motion. It can happen when landing on someone’s foot, or running on an uneven surface.
• A medial ankle sprain typically occurs to the inside of the ankle when the ankle is everted past normal range of motion, or rolls inwardly. This injury is much less common than a lateral ankle sprain.

What Can I Do?

• Early physical therapy treatment significantly speeds recovery to allow for a quicker return to full activity.
• Acutely, rest from intense activity and Tylenol for the pain.
• Ice can be applied to relieve pain and decrease the inflammation. An ice pack should be applied for 10 to 15 minutes once every 2 hours.
• Limit your activity to avoid things that cause feelings of instability or pain.
• Contact us to discuss possible options.

To maximize your chances for optimal recovery, often a physician will suggest you consult with us to evaluate and modify your treatment and exercises to meet your specific needs.

For more information about ankle sprains check out this link: http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00150