These will vary depending on the severity of the sprain and how much soft tissue damage has been done, but your ankle may present with the following...

  • Swelling: this can vary from a small amount to a lot of swelling, and can last from a few days to several months.
  • Bruising: this can appeararound the ankle, down the foot, even up the calf
  • Pain with movement or putting weight through the ankle
  • Joint stiffness and reduced range of movement
  • Warmth and  redness of the ankle
  • Reduced balance

Your foot may look like this!!! 

Management:

  • Make sure you visit a physiotherapist or doctor after the injury. They can assess whether an x-ray is appropriate to rule out any fractures. They will also be able to assess how severe the sprain is, and manage the injury appropriately.
  • Research has shown that early physiotherapy can improve outcomes after an ankle injury.
  • Treatments can consist of advice on activity, joint mobilisations, oedema massage, exercise therapy to strengthen the ankle and improve balance, and also strapping. See our blog on RICER for early soft tissue management.
  • It is extremely important to work on the balance and strength of your ankle, as studies have shown that the recurrence rate for lateral ankle sprains has been reported to be as high as 80%. (1, 2)

For any further queries, contact Pivotal Motion Podiatry on (07) 3352 5116.

Grant Stevens – your local Newmarket Podiatrist.

Alternatively, contact us here through our online form and we will get back to you.

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