About ankle sprain

An ankle sprain is a common injury. Most commonly it will injure the soft tissue on the outside of your ankle. In 85% of ankle injuries it is the ligaments in the ankle that are most affected. It is usually caused by an ‘inversion injury' where the foot is forced into a position where it rolls or twists inwards. This will put excess strain on the soft tissues on the outside of your ankle causing a sprain injury. This is most common in multi directional sports but can occur from a sudden twist when walking on uneven ground or miss-stepping. 

Diagram showing a normal ankle
Normal ankle
Diagram showing an inversion ankle sprain
Sprained lateral ligament
Diagram showing an eversion ankle sprain
Sprained medial ligament

Common symptoms of a lateral ankle sprain are: 

  • you have pain on the outside area outside of the ankle 
  • you have swelling – This can take months to settle 
  • you find it difficult to put all your weight on it when walking and to stand on it 
  • you may see bruising appear - the amount of bruising is normally related to the severity of injury 
  • the ankle may also feel unstable 

Most lateral ankle sprains will start to feel better in about 2 weeks after injury and heal in the first six to eight weeks. With more significant sprains a gradual increase in fitness, strength and activity helps many people get back to their normal levels of function within a few months. However, poor rehabilitation after an initial sprain increases the chances of this injury recurrence. You should seek medical advice in Accident and Emergency or Minor Injuries if: 

  • you heard a crack when you had your injury 
  • the injured body part has changed shape 
  • the injury is numb, very discoloured or cold to touch

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