If you’ve ever twisted your ankle, you’ve likely experienced an ankle sprain. A sprain happens when you tear or stretch the tissues, or ankle ligaments, that connect your bones. After an ankle sprain, you may have pain and swelling. You may also find it hard to stand on the affected ankle.
While a sprained ankle causes discomfort and can keep you from your favorite activities, most heal in a few weeks or months with at-home treatment. When you need advanced care, Summit Orthopedic experts in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area use a personalized approach to diagnose and treat ankle sprains.
Types of Ankle Sprains
Doctors evaluate ankle sprains based on the amount of damage to your ligaments and how unstable your ankle is.
- Grade 1: A mild ankle sprain typically involves slight ligament tearing and stretching. You may notice mild tenderness, bruising and swelling around the ankle. There is usually no pain when putting weight on it. Your joint remains stable with no signs of it being loose.
- Grade 2: A moderate ankle sprain involves partial tearing of the ligament, which also causes tenderness, bruising and swelling. Putting weight on your ankle may cause mild pain. During a physical exam, your doctor may notice there’s moderate instability in your ankle.
- Grade 3: A severe ankle sprain involves a complete tear of the ligament, resulting in severe tenderness, bruising and swelling around the joint. It’s often very painful to put weight on your affected ankle. Your physical exam will also show severe ankle instability.
Ankle Sprain vs. Fracture
A sprained ankle hurts because of damaged ligaments, while a fractured (broken) ankle means a bone is cracked or broken. Both cause pain and swelling. An X-ray or MRI can determine the type of injury.
High Sprain
A high ankle sprain occurs in the ligaments and other tissues that connect the two bones of your lower leg, the tibia and the fibula. These ligaments are just above your ankle joint.
Chronic Sprain
While most ankle sprains heal, some create long-lasting problems, like pain and swelling that need ongoing treatment. These types of sprains often require surgery to repair any damage and restore normal functioning.
Getting a Diagnosis
To accurately diagnose an ankle sprain, your doctor will ask how the injury happened and perform a physical exam. The exam typically includes looking at your ankle for swelling and bruising, checking for tenderness and testing how much you can move your ankle.
Your doctor can determine the severity of your sprain based on your pain, swelling, bruising and how stable the ankle feels. To get a precise diagnosis, your doctor may order an X-ray to check for a fracture or an MRI to better examine the ankle ligaments and other soft tissues.
The best way to ensure a full recovery is to get a proper diagnosis and start the right sprained ankle treatment plan.
Sprained Ankle Treatment
Several noninvasive approaches can help treat a sprained ankle. Treatment depends on the type of sprain you have and how severe the damage is. In rare cases, you may need surgery if your sprained ankle is severe.
Treatment focuses on reducing swelling and protecting your ankle from further damage. You will need to rest your ankle and possibly wrap it to keep it from moving. Your doctor may recommend only putting weight on your ankle if you can tolerate it.
Bracing and Casting for Ankle Sprains
Grade 2 ankle sprains often require a removable brace, like a walking boot. Grade 3 sprains might need more support, such as a short leg cast or cast-brace for up to two weeks. You may also need crutches to help you get around.
Physical Therapy
After an ankle sprain, your physical therapy plan focuses on restoring motion, rebuilding strength and improving balance. You’ll do exercises under the guidance of a trained physical therapist who will create a customized program for you. Some of the exercises you might do include flexing your ankle and using your ankle to “draw” letters to regain a full range of motion. These strengthening exercises are a crucial part of your recovery.
Surgical Treatment
Doctors rarely recommend surgery for an ankle sprain. You may be a candidate for surgery if you have persistent pain and instability even after months of rehabilitation.
Your surgeon might perform ankle surgery for certain severe high ankle sprains that cause instability. It can also be necessary if a severe sprain includes other injuries, such as damaged cartilage or a torn tendon. There are several types of ankle surgery. Your ankle injury helps determine which procedure is best for you.
When to See Your Doctor
Most ankle sprains get better with basic care like pain medication and rest. But if the swelling or pain lasts for several weeks, or if it’s hard to put weight on your ankle, it’s important to get it checked out. You could be experiencing a severe sprain or even a fracture.
Other signs of a sprained ankle include:
- Feeling like the ankle is “loose” or unstable
- Frequent rolling or twisting of the ankle
- Pain, especially after activity
- Swelling or tenderness around the joint
Care for Sprained Ankles at Summit Orthopedics
Our priority is relieving your symptoms and restoring normal function in your injured ankle. Our team of foot and ankle specialists collaborates to create a personalized treatment plan just for you.
Summit Orthopedics surgeons are available at nearly 30 convenient locations across the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area, serving Minnesota and western Wisconsin. Our state-of-the-art, comprehensive orthopedic centers offer same-day appointments from a team of experts who offer the full scope of orthopedic care.
Find your Summit Orthopedics foot and ankle expert, request an appointment or call us at (651) 968-5201 to schedule a consultation.
