Gannett Health Services
Ho Plaza
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853-3101
Tel: 607 255-5155
Email: gannett@cornell.edu
An ankle sprain is a stretching or tearing of a ligament in the ankle. Anything that places sudden stress on the ankle may cause a sprain or strain.
Treatment focuses on
Ankle sprains usually occur as a result of injury in which the ankle ligaments are stressed. When your weight goes down on a foot that is in a wrong position, OUCH! There goes the ankle.
A sprain is an injury to ligaments, usually on the outer side of the foot. This may or may not be accompanied by a related muscle strain.
Severity of a sprain can range from a minor stretch to a total rupture of the ligament, which can cause a serious instability of the whole joint.
Pain may or may not be accompanied by swelling, depending on the severity of the injury. Bruising and discoloration may appear in the foot and lower leg a few hours after injury.
With a less severe injury, symptoms usually diminish within 3 to 4 days, and you should be able to walk with minimal limp. With more severe sprains, we recommend that you use crutches or a cane to limit weight bearing on the ankle. The use of crutches with a toe-touchdown gait can help control complications to healing. If you use a single crutch or cane, it should be placed on the opposite side of the injured ankle and used to provide extra support for walking. You should begin the exercises to restore motion (below) early in the healing process and continue them until your flexibility and strength are fully restored.
As the swelling is controlled and the pain decreases, indicating that the ligaments have reached a point in the healing process at which they are not in danger from minimal stress, rehabilitation can become more aggressive. This may start at 3 to 5 weeks after the injury. You should avoid returning to any high-impact activity during this period.
Follow these guidelines to promote healing and reduce the risk of re-spraining your ankle.
The steps you can take to help the pain, swelling, and inflammation associated with an ankle injury are easy to remember if you can recall the word RICE.
If ice and/or ace bandage are not readily available, proceed with rest and elevation until you can obtain these supplies. Ice and compression are optimal, but if only one device is practical, choose compression with an ace wrap. Aspirin or ibuprofen may help reduce pain and inflammation.
If swelling and tenderness persist, continue the RICE treatment.
Note: If pain and swelling worsen or do not begin to diminish after day 5, please call Gannett at 255-5155.
Continue to use ace bandage or ankle support until your ankle is completely healed. Why?... because the injured structures of your ankle (ligaments, muscles):
Ankle supports should never be substituted for a properly supervised rehabilitation/ strengthening program. When you are able to walk normally, without pain or a limp, gradually discontinue use of crutches or cane.
Use these exercises to restore motion in your ankle. Do each of these exercises twice a day.
1. Calf stretch
Wrap a scarf, small towel, or rope around the bottom of your foot. Press foot
down and hold 20 seconds. Rest. Repeat once.
2. Ankle alphabet
Using your ankle and foot only, trace the letters of the alphabet. Perform A
to Z.
3. Isometric dorsiflexion
With rolled pillow between feet, squeeze feet together. Hold 5 seconds, then
relax. Repeat 5 to 10 times.
4. Isometric eversion
With rolled pillow against wall, press outer border of foot into pillow. Hold
5 seconds, then relax. Repeat 5 to 10 times.
5. Isometric inversion
With rolled pillow between feet, press inner borders of feet into pillow. Hold
5 seconds, then relax. Repeat 5 to 10 times.
6. Isometric plantarflexion
With rolled pillow against wall, push foot into pillow. Hold 5 seconds, then
relax. Repeat 5 to 10 times.
7. Sitting heel rise
Rise up on balls of feet. Repeat 10 times.
8. Ankle pump
With leg elevated, gently flex and extend ankle. Repeat 10 times.
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