Sprained Ankle

What actually is a sprained ankle?

I’m sure we’re all quite familiar with rolling our ankle, but what happens when we roll our ankle, and is it more serious than some people think?

The ankle joint is surrounded by a number of ligaments on both sides of the ankle. These bands of fibres are designed to prevent excessive movement and to keep the ankle stable. 

When the ankle is rolled either during a fall, while we’re running, or landing from a jump, these ligaments become overstretched, torn, or even completely ruptured… which can result in quite a lot of pain and swelling. 

Physiotherapists grade ankle sprains and other ligament injuries on a scale of 1-3. The graphic below shows a comparison of the least severe grade 1 injury, which is the stretching of ligament fibres, to a grade 3 injury, a complete rupture of the ligament.

What should I do for my ankle swelling?

When you sprain the ligaments in the ankle, it is completely normal for it to swell… in fact, this is actually the body’s way to protect itself. Swelling is how the body sends nutrients to the injured area to promote healing.

However, too much swelling will make it harder to walk and know where your ankle is in space (proprioception).

What you need to be doing is lots and lots of ankle pumps (moving your ankle back and forth) a day… literally hundreds of ankle pumps. Think of it as pumping the good stuff in, while also pumping the good stuff out.

This will reduce inflammation and maximise the healing response.

Although it may be tempting to reach for the anti-inflammatories… Please don’t! Evidence shows that anti-inflammatories can reduce the strength and integrity of the ankle ligaments 4-6 weeks after injury… right when you’re returning to sport.

When should I see a physio for my sprained ankle?

It’s vital to see a physiotherapist as soon as possible after rolling your ankle, that way we can rule out anything nasty like fractures as well as speed up the recovery process as much as possible.

Physiotherapy will consist of a tailor-made exercise program. Starting with gentle mobility and balance exercises. Progressing to strength exercises as well as jumping and landing practice.

Are there long-term effects of a sprained ankle?

If an ankle isn’t rehabbed properly unfortunately this can lead to long-term problems and recurrence in the future.

When the ankle is sprained the proprioceptors fall asleep. The proprioceptors are the messengers who tell the brain where the ankle is in space and more importantly when you are about to roll your ankle. This allows the brain to switch on the muscles in the ankle and prevent the ankle rolling.

So during rehab, it is essential to wake these proprioceptors up again with specific exercises. Otherwise, it is almost guaranteed that you will have ongoing instability and roll your ankle again in the future.

Should I tape my sprained ankle when playing sport?

Once you get the all-clear from your physiotherapist to return to sport, it may be advised to tape your ankle for added stability. This video below demonstrated how to do so.

Check out our Women’s Health Page to learn more about women’s health physiotherapy and our team! We look forward to helping you.

We’d love to help with your Ankle!

We are located in Rozelle, Panania, Clovelly, Coogee and Miranda.