Acute ankle sprains are among the most common injuries to the musculoskeletal system. Seven out of 10 people with an acute ankle sprain end up dealing with residual disability. Having one sprained ankle increases your risk of future sprains.
An estimated 2 million people experience ankle sprains each year. This is believed to be a low estimate, as some people fail to seek medical care for an ankle injury. A European study found that the actual number was around 5.5 times higher.
Don’t ignore an ankle sprain. If you have an injury, it’s better to seek medical care than to risk future or long-term injuries. Premium Urgent Care has a guide to help you better understand which types of ankle sprains are common and the best treatment options for them.
Common Types of Ankle Sprains
There are three types of ankle sprains that we see at Premium Urgent Care.
1. Lateral Ankle Sprain
This sprain involves the ligaments on the outside of the ankle. Your foot rolls inward for some reason and strains the ligaments on the outside of the ankle. The anterior talofibular ligament is the likely source of the problem. An ATFL injury usually happens when you:
- Land wrong after hopping, jumping, or leaping
- Step off a curb or walk on uneven terrain
- Twist your ankle while running
When you have a lateral ankle sprain, you’ll feel sharp pain on the outside of the ankle. It swells, a bruise usually appears, and it’s hard to bear any weight on your ankle.
2. Medial Ankle Sprain
Opposite the lateral ankle sprain, this time your foot rolls outward and damages the deltoid ligament. That ligament sits on the inside of your ankle.
A medial ankle sprain occurs with:
- Direct blow to the ankle or leg
- Falling and twisting the ankle
- Slipping and twisting the ankle
- Sudden changes of direction
If you have a medial ankle sprain, you’ll experience difficulty walking or bearing weight. You’ll feel pain on the inside of your ankle. Swelling is another sign of a medial ankle sprain.
3. High Ankle Sprain
When the ligaments connecting your fibula and tibia to your ankle are stretched, you experience a high ankle sprain. It’s often caused by planting your foot and twisting forcefully. It occurs most often in sports like:
- Basketball
- Football
- Rugby
- Skiing
- Soccer
High ankle sprains require a longer healing time. Symptoms include:
- Pain located above the ankle
- Difficulty bearing weight on the ankle
- Twisting increases the pain
Once you know you have an ankle injury, it’s important to grade its severity.
- Grade 1/Mild – The ligament is stretched but not torn. Some swelling and tenderness occur.
- Grade 2/Moderate – The ligament has a partial tear. Bruising and swelling are noticeable. The joint feels loose.
- Grade 3/Severe – The ligament is fully torn or ruptured. Pain is severe, and the ankle is no longer stable. It’s difficult to put any weight on that ankle.
When Do You Need an X-Ray?
Doctors use assessment tools called the Ottawa Ankle Rules to determine when X-rays are needed. This process involves determining where the pain is and how bad it is:
- Malleolar zone and bone tenderness
- Midfoot pain and bone tenderness
- Inability to bear weight both after the injury and in urgent care
- Cannot take four steps
If none of those criteria are met, X-rays are unnecessary. Otherwise, X-rays are advised. It’s still up to a doctor’s discretion, as the Ottawa Ankle Rules criteria are not always 100% accurate.
Immediate Care Tips and Long-Term Recovery
For years, RICE (Rest-Ice-Compression-Elevation) was the go-to treatment option for mild sprains and strains. While this method is still used, there’s a better one that doctors want patients to know about.
PEACE and LOVE are better options, as they extend beyond immediate care and add long-term care to the recovery plan.
- P-Protect: Try to restrict motion in the ankle joint for several days to prevent aggravating the injury or increasing bleeding/bruising.
- E-Elevate: Elevate the ankle above your heart as often as possible to encourage fluid to drain and reduce swelling.
- Avoid NSAIDs: While non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs help ease pain, they can affect tissue repair. If you need pain medication, acetaminophen is the better option. You should always consult with a doctor, however, because medications like Tylenol are not advised if you have certain health conditions. In some cases, NSAIDs are the safer choice for pain relief.
- C-Compress: Use compression bandages or medical tape to help ease swelling and provide ankle support.
- E-Educate: Learn as much as you can about managing pain and inflammation without relying on prescriptions or risking overuse before your ankle is ready. Sometimes, listening to your body is the best treatment of all.
- L-Load: Gradually reintroduce movement and activity to the ankle. If there’s pain, stop and allow more time to heal before returning to your favorite activities.
- O-Optimism: Stay positive. A positive outlook supports the healing process.
- V-Vascularization: Use aerobic activity to increase blood flow to your ankle.
- E-Exercise: Don’t overlook the value of exercises that build strength, flexibility, and range of motion. Working with a physical therapist is a great way to ensure the exercises you do support your recovery.
As this is a lot to take in, it’s always recommended that people see a doctor to have a medical examination of the injury. The doctor determines if X-rays are necessary and makes the arrangements for you.
Once there’s an official diagnosis, the best treatment plan for your ankle injury is determined. You might need to wear a splint, or you might be fine with an elastic bandage for now. An ankle brace might be recommended, or you might need to get more supportive shoes. A doctor will tell you everything you need to do to heal properly.
The Consequences of Inadequate Ankle Care
As tempting as it is to treat your ankle at home to avoid medical bills, doing so can lead to complications. Make sure you consider the cost of a permanent ankle injury versus the cost of an urgent care visit.
If you tear or stretch the ligaments in your ankle and don’t properly treat the injury, you risk:
- Chronic Ankle Instability: The stretched ligaments never heal properly, leaving the ankle feeling loose or unstable.
- Chronic Pain: The injury reduces your range of motion and causes stiffness, which can lead to chronic pain.
- Compensatory Injuries: Your ankle is weaker, so you adjust your gait to lessen the strain on your ankle. This puts strain on other muscles and joints, leading to overuse injuries or damage.
- Post-Traumatic Arthritis: The cartilage in the joint is damaged and does not heal properly. This damage leads to joint degeneration, causing osteoarthritis.
- Repetitive Injuries: When your ankle doesn’t heal properly, the odds of re-injury are greater.
- Undiagnosed Fractures: It might be a sprain or stretched ligament, but you might also have an ankle fracture. The broken bone may not heal properly without medical intervention, leading to possible deformity or misalignment.
Premium Urgent Care takes the stress out of seeing a doctor. We don’t require you to make an appointment that’s days or weeks away. Check in online, walk into our practice, and we’ll see you the same day. That is, of course, providing you do show up at least 30 minutes before our closing.
We offer evening hours, making it easier to go after work. You can also walk into our Clovis and West Fresno locations on Saturday and Sunday for weekend care.
Our goal is to provide expert, affordable care to people in Fresno and its nearby communities, and we accept several health insurance companies to help keep your costs low. Don’t let an ankle injury worsen. See a doctor today.