Sprained ankle is a common injury in sports. Ankle sprain injury occurs frequently when your foot is rolled inwards and down. Most people will experience pain and swelling around the outside of the ankle bone. Walking can be painful and laborious. Sometime the symptoms of pain and swelling can last up to a few weeks or even months.
What should I do?
Use the R.I.C.E principle as a first aid measure to relieve your symptoms.
Rest you leg to minimise further pain and discomfort
Ice to be applied to the ankle & foot area to reduce swelling and pain.
Compression using an elastic bandage can help reduce swelling and protect the area.
Elevate the leg to help reduce further swelling.
Whom I should see?
If you experience significant pain and not being able to weight bear at all, you can consult your local GP or go to the nearby emergency department to rule out any fracture (broken bone). If the symptom is manageable, you can go to your local physiotherapy clinic and the physiotherapist can assess and provide treatment to relieve your symptoms and speed up your recovery.
What treatment should I have?
You can take pain killers if necessary and according to the doctor’s or pharmacist’s instructions. The physiotherapist will provide you with treatment to relieve your symptoms and give you advice and gentle exercise to improve your walking and functional mobility.
How long does it take to heal my sprained ankle?
It may take up to a few weeks for your symptoms to go away completely. Most people will find significant improvement after the first 2 weeks after the injury though. Most people will however make very good recovery eventually and will be back to normal activities and sports.
Remember, you can always get help with your sprained ankle injury and it will improve with appropriate assessment and treatment.
