Ligaments help stabilize joints, preventing excessive movement. A sprained ankle occurs when the ligaments are forced beyond their normal range of motion. If left untreated, ankle instability may develop, requiring expert care from an ankle sprain doctor near you. This is because most sprained ankles involve injuries to the ligaments on the outer side of the ankle, making them vulnerable to repeated strain and instability.

Symptoms of Ankle Sprain and Instability

These may includes

  • Pain

  • Tenderness over ankle joint

  • Swelling

  • Bruising

  • Restricted range of motion

  • Instability in the ankle depends upon severity of injury

  • Popping sensation or sound at the time of injury

Causes

  • A fall in which ankle twist

  • Landing incorrectly after jumping

  • Walking or exercising on an uneven surface

Risk factors

Factors that increase the risk of a sprained ankle include :

  • Uneven surfaces :
    Walking or running on uneven surfaces may increase the risk of an ankle sprain
  • Sports participation :
    Ankle sprains are common sports injuries, particularly in activities that involve jumping, cutting movements, or rolling/twisting of the foot, such as basketball, tennis, and football.
  • Poor physical condition :
    Poor strength or flexibility in the ankles may increase the risk of a sprain during physical activity.

Complications

Spraining ankle repeatedly might lead to the following complications :

  • Chronic ankle pain

  • Chronic ankle joint instability

  • Arthritis in the ankle joint

Diagnosis

An ankle sprain doctor will carefully examine the injured area to check for tenderness and assess instability.

If the injury is severe, doctor may recommend one or more of the following imaging tool :

  • X-ray :
    This test is good for ruling out bone fractures.
  • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) :
    MRIs produce detailed cross-sectional or 3-D images of soft internal structures of the ankle, including ligaments.
  • CT scan :
    Provides more detailed images of the joint bones.
  • Ultrasound :
    USG may help your doctor judge the condition of a ligament or tendon when the foot is in different positions.

Management & Treatment

Management

Ankle sprain treatment depends on the severity of your injury. Consulting an ankle sprain doctor near you can ensure proper care and recovery. The treatment goals are to reduce pain and swelling, promote ligament healing, and restore ankle function.

Treatment

R.I.C.E Method

Use the R.I.C.E. approach for initial days :

  • Rest :
    Avoid activities that cause pain, swelling or discomfort.
  • Ice :
    Use an ice pack for 15 to 20 minutes and repeat every two to three hours while you’re awake
  • Compression :
    To help stop swelling, compress the ankle with an elastic bandage until the swelling stops.
  • Elevation :
    To reduce swelling, elevate your ankle above the level of your heart, especially at night. Gravity helps reduce swelling by draining excess fluid.

Braces

Walking with a sprained ankle can be painful, so you may need crutches until the pain subsides. Depending on the severity, you may require an ankle binder, ankle brace, or walker boot for support.

Physiotherapy

Once the swelling and pain are reduced enough to resume movement, ankle sprain doctor will ask you to begin a series of exercises to restore your ankle’s range of motion, strength, flexibility, and stability. Ankle specialist or a physical therapist will explain the appropriate method and progression of exercises. Balance and stability training is especially important to retrain the ankle muscles to work together to support the joint and to help prevent recurrent sprains. These exercises may involve Proprioceptive exercise, Muscle strengthening, gait training, and Ankle Range of motion exercise.

Surgery

In rare cases, an ankle sprain doctor may recommend surgery if the injury doesn’t heal or if ankle instability persists. Surgery may be performed to :

  • Repair a ligament that won’t heal

  • Reconstruct a ligament with tissue from a nearby ligament or tendon or artificial ligament.