What causes an ankle sprain?
Ligaments are the long bands of connective tissues that provide support and stability in your ankle by connecting bones to bones. When ligaments overstretch or tear, you have an ankle sprain. Some of the most common causes of ankle sprains include:
- Sports injuries
- Slips and falls
- Running on uneven surfaces
- Wearing inappropriate shoes
- Twisting or rolling the ankle
- Missing a step while going downstairs
Sometimes ankle sprains occur because you’re born with weak ankle structures. In this case, you might be predisposed to ankle sprains, no matter how hard you try to prevent injuries. Because ankle sprains can vary from minor to severe, understanding the symptoms and getting treatment right away is important for helping your ankle heal properly.
How do I know if my ankle is sprained?
It isn’t always easy to tell if your ankle is sprained since symptoms tend to worsen over a period of several days. Right when the injury occurs, you might feel a popping sensation — or hear it. If this happens, you may feel some initial soreness and find that it’s painful to bear weight on the affected ankle.
Over the following 24-72 hours, you’re probably going to notice these symptoms gradually getting worse:
- Bruising
- Swelling
- Inflammation
- Ankle instability
- Joint stiffness
Because these symptoms are very similar to a fracture, including a stress fracture, you need to have your ankle evaluated at New York City Ankle & Foot to get the treatment you need for your specific injury.
What is the treatment for an ankle sprain?
Treating a sprained ankle can be difficult since the best thing you can do to speed up your recovery is to stay off of the ankle and keep it elevated. Your dedicated podiatrist at New York Foot & Ankle combines any of the following treatments to help with pain, inflammation, and healing:
- Bracing, wrapping, or casting
- Physical therapy and stretching
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
- Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections
While less common, occasionally surgical treatment is needed for an ankle sprain. This individualized treatment involves repairing or reconstructing your damaged ligaments to strengthen your ankle and prevent future injuries. If you do need surgery for an ankle sprain, the skilled podiatrists at New York Foot & Ankle often use minimally invasive arthroscopic tools and techniques so that you can expect little downtime.
If you have a sprained ankle, schedule an evaluation at New York Foot & Ankle right away. You can request an appointment online or call the office nearest you.
