The most common type of ankle sprains people experience are inversion sprains, where the foot rolls inwards causing the outer ankle muscles and ligaments to be stressed. This can cause bruising along the outside of the ankle and occasionally bruising along the inside of the ankle. This blog highlights what to do following a sprain.  

Whilst spraining your ankle can be a debilitating injury, you can often recover within weeks of the injury by: 

• • Rest. Ice. Compression. Elevate. RICE can be used within the acute stages of the sprain, but RICE alone is not effective in treating ankle sprains.
  • If pain is too great, protecting the sprain may be warranted using support such as a crutch or an ankle brace.
  • Potentially taking paracetamol during the acute stages if the pain is not manageable (see a GP or your physio to determine whether paracetamol would be suitable for you)
  • Immobilization of the ankle is not recommended in mild to moderate sprains.

While the pain from the sprain may be gone, you may still unknowingly have some remaining deficits that are potential risk factors for you re-spraining your ankle again! Did you know that among people who have sprained their ankle for the first time, 61% of them will sprain their ankle again in the future. 2 The deficits that may predispose you to future sprains include: reduced range of motion of the ankle, decreased balance on that foot, and decreased proprioception (awareness of the ankle). 1  

Recurrent ankle sprains can lead to Chronic Ankle Instability (CAI) which is defined as “prolonged functional deficits and reports of instability following an acute ankle sprain.”3 Whilst CAI may sound scary, through appropriate physiotherapy management and rehabilitation it is possible to return a chronically unstable ankle to its pre-injury capacity. The research has found that by completing manual therapy, balance and functional strength training the road to recovery is much faster and the risk of spraining your ankle again is significantly reduced! 1 The physiotherapy management to expect at Elevate Physiotherapy & Pilates includes:  

• • Soft tissue mobilization and stretching to reduce pain and tightness and increase joint range of motion.
  • Balance training to reduce giving way sensations and re-injury risk.
  • Functional strengthening to reduce re-injury.

Our team at Elevate Physiotherapy & Pilates can comprehensively assess your ankle, screen for any red flags, and create an individualised program based on what your deficits and goals are! Why not give us a call and chat to one of our physiotherapists.  

References  

1. Vuurberg, G., Hoorntje, A., Wink, L. M., Van Der Doelen, B. F., Van Den Bekerom, M. P., Dekker, R., … & Kerkhoffs, G. M. (2018). Diagnosis, treatment and prevention of ankle sprains: update of an evidence-based clinical guideline. British journal of sports medicine, 52(15), 956-956. 
2. Doherty, C., Bleakley, C., Delahunt, E., & Holden, S. (2017). Treatment and prevention of acute and recurrent ankle sprain: an overview of systematic reviews with meta-analysis. British journal of sports medicine, 51(2), 113-125. 
3. Madsen LP, Hall EA, Docherty CL. Assessing outcomes in people with chronic ankle instability: The ability of functional performance tests to measure deficits in physical function and perceived instability. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy. 2018;48(5):372-380. Kosik KB, McCann RS, Terada M, Gribble PA. Therapeutic interventions for improving self-reported function in patients with chronic ankle instability: a systematic review. British journal of sports medicine. 2017;51(2):105-112.