What is it?
An ankle sprain happens when the ligaments that support your ankle are stretched or torn, usually from rolling or twisting the ankle. This is one of the most common injuries in both sports and everyday life.
What causes it?
Ankle sprains often occur when the foot suddenly turns inward—such as landing awkwardly, stepping off a curb, or changing direction quickly during sport. Most sprains affect the outer (lateral) side of the ankle.
How it feels
- Sudden pain on the outside of the ankle
- Swelling and bruising shortly after the injury
- Difficulty putting weight on the ankle or walking
- In more severe cases, a feeling of instability or giving way
How physiotherapy helps
Physiotherapy is key to proper healing and preventing repeat injuries. Your physio will:
- Assess the severity of the sprain by testing movement, swelling, and stability
- Provide early advice on rest, compression, and elevation
- Guide you through gentle movement and weight-bearing as pain allows
- Prescribe a tailored rehabilitation program focusing on:
- Ankle mobility and flexibility
- Strengthening surrounding muscles
- Balance and proprioception exercises
- Sport-specific retraining for athletes
- Monitor your progress and help decide when it’s safe to return to full activity
Recovery
Most mild to moderate sprains recover well with physiotherapy in 2–6 weeks. More severe sprains may take longer or require a moonboot. Early rehab helps reduce the risk of chronic ankle instability and repeated sprains.
Reference: Rochester JR, Ahlquist S. Ankle Sprain. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023. NCBI Bookshelf NBK459212
