How To Treat an Ankle Sprain

Contents on this page:

How To Treat Each Grade of Ankle Sprain

Grade 1 Ankle Sprain
Grade 2 Ankle Sprain
Grade 3 Ankle Sprain

How to Treat a Grade 1 Ankle Sprain

Successful treatment for a grade 1 sprain is to control any swelling present and to support the joint so further injury will not occur (such as a re-sprain).

Rest- Following a mild sprain, give the ankle as much rest as you can before getting back to any intense activity. Too much weight bearing can lead to unnecessary swelling. Elevate the swollen ankle to reduce swelling. Usually 1-3 days of rest is adequate for mild sprains.

Brace- Wear a brace that compresses the injured area but allows full range of motion. A compressive brace will help control swelling and provide gentle support to a weakened joint. A brace made of elastic or neoprene will work great. Older braces should be replaced with new ones to make sure to keep its compressive ability.

View Mild Support Ankle Braces
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Ice - Apply an ice pack to the area for 10-15 minutes 2-3 times a day. Ice will help decrease the swelling and inflammation as well as decrease pain. Ice packs that are soft and conform to the area work the best. Re-usable ice packs are very popular and can be kept handy for future injuries. Extreme care is to be taken if you have circulatory or sensation difficulties. Leaving ice on too long can cause tissue damage. Never leave an ice pack on longer than 20 minutes in thick muscle tissue, or 15 minutes over a bony area

View Ankle Ice Packs

How to Treat a Grade 2 Ankle Sprain

The goal to successful treatment1 for a grade 2 sprain is to decrease swelling as much as possible and to brace the joint securely with a good quality brace to allow proper healing and to rehabilitate the ankle properly with exercises.

Rest- Following a moderate sprain, give the ankle several days rest before getting back to any activity. Weight bearing is allowed to pain tolerance; however, too much weight bearing can lead to unnecessary swelling. If you find your ankle swelling and hurting when you bear weight, use crutches for a few days and elevate the ankle every few hours for 5-10 minutes.

Brace- Wear a brace that compresses the injured area but allows full range of motion. A compressive brace will help control swelling and provide gentle support to a weakened joint. A brace made of elastic or neoprene will work great. Older braces should be replaced with new ones to make sure to keep their compressive ability.

View Moderate Support Ankle Braces
View all Ankle Braces

Ice- Apply an ice pack to the area for 10-15 minutes every 3-4 hours. Ice will help decrease the swelling and inflammation as well as decrease pain. Ice packs that are soft and conform to the area work the best. Re-usable ice packs are very popular and can be kept handy for future injuries. Make sure to elevate the ankle to help get the excess fluid away from the ankle and back to the heart. Extreme care is to be taken if you have circulatory or sensation difficulties. Leaving ice on too long can cause tissue damage. Never leave an ice pack on longer than 20 minutes in thick muscle tissue, or 15 minutes over a bony area.

Exercise: When able to bear weight without pain, stand in a doorway placing all your body weight on the injured ankle. Balance yourself by holding on to the door. As you start to gain more balance, close your eyes. This isolates the ankle and re-trains the proprioceptive receptors (tiny nerves receptors found in the joint) to improve your balance and to stabilize your ankle. If you perform this activity for 5 minutes every day for 2 weeks your ankle will feel much stronger.

The use of balance boards will help the ankles ability to balance better. You need to retrain the proprioceptors which have been injured during the sprain. If you don't work on the balance part of it, your ankle will never be as good as it could be.

The use of Tubing exercises can be very effective at rehabilitating an injured ankle.

How to Treat a Grade 3 Ankle Sprain

Early evaluation by your doctor is of utmost importance. X-ray, MRI, or CT scan can rule out fracture. Use splinting or casting and crutches for several days to 2 weeks, followed by immobilization in an ankle orthosis (a boot that restricts ankle range of motion), or a brace that restricts range of motion of the ankle, with early rehabilitation (beginning 2 to 4 weeks after injury) to maintain motion and prevent atrophy of the calf muscles. After you have healed enough to bear weight without the ankle orthosis, then use an ankle brace that allows more ankle motion but still protects the joint from further injury.

Ankle exercises include stretches and passive range of motion (someone else moves your ankle through a range of motion) followed by active range of motion exercises (you move your ankle through the range of motion), along with balancing exercises and some and weight training hints.

***The information, including opinions and recommendations, contained in the Web site is for general educational purposes only. Such information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. No one should act upon any information on this Web site without first seeking medical advice from a qualified medical physician with whom they have a confidential doctor/patient relationship.***

Author: Dr. Tracy A. Norris D.C., C.C.E.P.
Chiropractic Physician
Certified Chiropractic Extremity Practitioner

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