While sprained ankles need time to heal, it is also important to strengthen the muscles around the ankle to help it recover and prevent further sprains. For minor or moderate sprains, most people can start exercising their sprained ankle after a few days of rest.
What helps sprained ankles heal faster?
Self-care
- Rest. Avoid activities that cause pain, swelling or discomfort.
- Ice. Use an ice pack or ice slush bath immediately for 15 to 20 minutes and repeat every two to three hours while you’re awake.
- Compression. To help stop swelling, compress the ankle with an elastic bandage until the swelling stops.
- Elevation.
How long should I wait to exercise after a sprained ankle?
Depending on the severity of your injury, you can begin intermediate exercises 3-7 days after your injury or when any swelling and pain begin to subside. How long this phase lasts is also based on your unique injury. You can start performing light ankle exercises to promote better ankle flexibility and strength.
Is walking on a sprained ankle good?
While it is possible to walk on a sprained ankle, it isn’t recommended. Walking on a sprained ankle can delay the healing process and increase your risk for complications. Ankle pain, instability, and arthritis are common complications of a sprained ankle.
Is it good to exercise a sprained ankle? – Related Questions
How long should I stay off a sprained ankle?
Resting your ankle as much as possible in the first 48 hours following a sprain will lessen your chances of making the injury worse by reducing stress on the inflamed ligaments. Mild sprains may require a few days of rest, while severe sprains may require several months of rest.
How long shouldn’t you walk on a sprained ankle?
Getting Active. The pain and swelling of an ankle sprain most often gets better within 48 hours. After that, you can begin to put weight back on your injured foot. Put only as much weight on your foot as is comfortable at first.
Is it better to rest a sprained ankle or walk on it?
Healing a sprained ankle
Resting your ankle (meaning you shouldn’t walk on it) Icing your ankle immediately and throughout healing to minimize swelling. Wearing a compression device like bandages or athletic tape. Elevating your ankle above your heart for the first 48 hours.
Is it OK to walk on a sprained ankle after a week?
Walking on a sprained ankle is not advised. After a sprain occurs, it needs time to heal before weight-bearing. Walking or weight bearing too soon may slow healing or cause further damage.
Is it OK to walk on a Grade 1 ankle sprain?
Grade 1 sprains cause little damage to the ligaments, and although the ankle will be tender for a few days, you can walk on it after a short period of rest.
Should you massage a sprained ankle?
Massaging your ankle after a sprain may help reduce pain and swelling, but you also want to be careful. Do not continue massaging your ankle if the pain or swelling seems to worsen. You may have a serious injury that requires professional medical care, so you want to be vigilant about changes to your ankle.
How do I know if I have a Grade 1 or 2 ankle sprain?
Grade 1: Stretching or slight tearing of the ligament with mild tenderness, swelling and stiffness. The ankle feels stable and it is usually possible to walk with minimal pain. Grade 2: A more severe sprain, but incomplete tear with moderate pain, swelling and bruising.
How do I know what grade my ankle sprain is?
3 Grades of Ankle Sprains
- Grade 1: Your ankle will probably feel sore and may be slightly swollen. In this case, the ligament has been overstretched but not torn.
- Grade 2: You have a partial tear in the ligament. This causes prolonged pain and swelling.
- Grade 3: This is a full tear of the ankle ligament.
What happens if you don’t rest a sprained ankle?
If they’re left untreated, sprains will often cause the ankle to become unstable, which can lead to chronic pain, swelling, instability and, ultimately, arthritis. Don’t delay treatment. Sprains should be immobilized quickly, with the ankle ligaments in a stable position.
Should I wrap a sprained ankle?
Proper initial care of your sprained ankle is critical. A compression wrap helps decrease swelling. If swelling is kept to a minimum, it may help your ankle feel better. Applying a compression wrap is easy and can be done at home.
What does a Grade 2 sprain look like?
A Grade 2 sprain results in partial tearing of the ligament or ligaments. This commonly leads to moderate swelling and bruising above and below the ankle joint.
Does a sprained ankle ever fully heal?
Most ankle sprains will heal with standard RICE therapy (rest, ice, compression and elevation) within two to 12 weeks. But for the patients with sprains that do not heal over time with standard therapy, both the cause and next steps for treatment can be unclear.
What is a Level 3 sprain?
Grade 3 Sprain: Complete tear of the ligament. If the examiner pulls or pushes on the ankle joint in certain movements, gross instability occurs.
How can you tell if a sprain is mild or severe?
In a mild sprain, a ligament is stretched, but the joint remains stable and is not loosened. A moderate sprain partially tears the ligament, causing the joint to be unstable. With a severe sprain, ligaments tear completely or separate from the bone.
