Definition

An ankle sprain is a partial or complete tear of the ligaments that support the ankle. Ligaments are strong bands of tissue that cross joints and connect bones to each other.

Sprained Ankle

Copyright © Nucleus Medical Media, Inc.

Causes

Ankle sprains may be caused by:

• Falling
• Sudden twisting of the ankle, such as:
  • Stepping on an uneven surface or in a hole
  • Taking an awkward step when running, jumping, or stepping up or down
  • Having your ankle roll over when playing sports or exercising—inversion of the foot

Risk Factors

Factors that increase your chance of getting an ankle sprain include:

• Playing sports, especially with the wrong type of shoe
• Walking on uneven surfaces
• Weak ankles from a previous sprain
• Poor coordination
• Poor balance
• Poor muscle strength and tight ligaments
• Loose joints
• Certain footwear, such as high heels

Symptoms

Symptoms of an ankle sprain may include:

• Pain, swelling, and bruising around the ankle
• Worsening of pain when walking, standing, pressing on the sore area, or moving the ankle inward
• Difficulty moving the ankle joint without pain
• A popping or tearing sound at the time of the injury

Diagnosis

An ankle sprain may not require a visit to the doctor. However, you should call your doctor if you have any of the following:

• Difficulty moving the ankle without significant pain
• Difficulty putting any weight on that foot
• Significant swelling or bruising
• Pain over a bony part of your foot or ankle
• Pain that interferes significantly with walking
• Pain not relieved by ice, pain relief medication, and elevation
• Numbness in the leg, foot, or ankle
• Pain that does not improve in 5-7 days
• Uncertainty about the severity of the injury
• Uncertainty about how to care for this injury

You will be asked about your symptoms and how your injury occurred. An examination of your ankle will be done to assess the injury.

Images are not always needed if your doctor is confident that you do not have a fracture. If images are needed, this can be done with x-rays. If additional details are needed, other images may be done, such as a CT scan or an MRI scan.

Ankle sprains are graded according to the damage to the ligaments. If there are more ligaments damaged, the injury is likely more severe.

Treatment

Prevention

Many ankle sprains cannot be prevented. However, you can reduce your risk of spraining an ankle:

• Take a break from sports or exercise when you feel tired.
• Do exercises that improve your balance and strengthen leg and foot muscles.
• Learn the proper technique for exercise and sporting activities. This will decrease stress on all your muscles, ligaments, and tendons, including those around your ankle.
• If you have injured your ankle before, you are more likely to injure it again. You may reduce your risk of repeated sprains by wearing an ankle brace and by doing certain balance exercises.
• Wear appropriate footwear when playing sports to avoid injury.