Ankle injuries are extremely common and ankle sprains (injury to the ligaments in the ankle) are one of the most prevalent musculoskeletal injuries. Other injuries that may occur to the ankle include a fracture to the bone, tearing of the muscles and over-stressing a tendon.
The most common ankle injury, considered a minor injury, is the sprain, a partial tearing of the ligaments of the ankle. It will usually heal without a problem within about 6-8 weeks if you look after the ankle, although swelling may continue for a little longer. While it may take several months to reach full fitness, most patients find they are able to get back to work within a few weeks and return to sports activities within 12 weeks. When considering return to sporting activity your GP or physiotherapist may suggest you wear an ankle brace or splint until the ankle is strong enough to exercise without it.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU SPRAIN YOUR ANKLE?
R: REST You should try to take the weight off the injured ankle as much as you can in the first day or so.
I: ICE Apply an ice-pack (eg a packet of frozen peas) several times a day for up to 10 minutes each time. This can help to manage the swelling and pain.
C: COMPRESSION Wear a support bandage to help reduce the swelling and help maintain stability.
E: ELEVATION Raise the ankle while resting to reduce the swelling and control the pain.
After a couple of days start to exercise the injured ankle and try to take some weight on it. Painkillers can be useful eg paracetamol or ibuprofen.
SHOULD I SEE A PHYSIOTHERAPIST?
If you have a severe injury or it is taking a long time for you to recover, your GP may refer you for physiotherapy but generally this is not required for an ankle sprain. Both physiotherapy and massage may however speed recovery time and can lead to a reduction in recurrent ankle issues.
Physical exercise helps to strengthen the muscles around the ankle. Some people are more prone to ankle sprains, sometimes due to weak muscles and repeated sprains can lead to ankle instability.
Exercises to aid the ankle:
Proprioception exercises*
*What is the proprioception?
Proprioception is our body’s ability to detect movement within joints and the joint’s position. This ability lets us to know where our limbs are in space without having to look. It is important in all everyday movements but especially so in complicated sporting movements, where precise coordination is required.
WILL I NEED TO WEAR A SUPPORT?
Ankle sprains are typically graded in terms of severity and depending on the severity, you may be recommended to use a support.
https://tynor.com.au/blogs/news/all-about-ankle-injuries