Ankle Sprain

People stop treatment when it stops hurting, and the balance and control deficits that remain are why a large proportion of people who sprain an ankle go on to sprain it again.

What it feels like

Immediate pain, usually on the outside of the ankle, followed by swelling and often bruising. Difficulty weight-bearing initially. Later, a sense that the ankle is unreliable on uneven ground.

Why it recurs

Because the ligament heals but the proprioception, your sense of where the joint is in space, often does not recover on its own. Balance and control need retraining specifically. This is the single most important thing to understand about ankle sprains, and it is the part usually skipped.

How we treat it

Early management of swelling and restoring movement, then, crucially, progressive balance and control retraining, then a return to the loads your activity demands.

What to expect

Assessment will screen for fracture, test the ligaments, and check your balance and single-leg control, which is usually where the deficit shows.

Expect the rehabilitation to continue past the point where the ankle stops hurting. That is the point.

How long it takes

Pain often settles within weeks. Full restoration of balance and control takes longer, and stopping early is why recurrence rates are so high.