The term sprain refers to the stretching and/or tearing of ligaments. The most common ankle injury is a sprained ankle, which can occur when the ankle is forced into an abnormal position. Sprained ankles are most commonly caused by ‘rolling’ of the foot in (inversion) or out (eversion). The primary symptoms of an ankle sprain are pain and swelling of the ankle.

Sprained ankles are classified into one of three ‘grades’ of severity:

Grade I: Refers to a stretch or minor tear of the ligament with loosening.
Grade II: Refers to a ligament tear accompanied by some degree of loosening.
Grade III: Refers to a complete ligament resulting in a very loose joint.

Treatment: Short-term treatment of an ankle sprain should follow the R.I.C.E. regimen. Anti-inflammatory medication can also be used to reduce pain an inflammation. Exercises designed to improve range of motion should be initiated early in treatment, as tolerated. The simplest of these exercises to is to ‘draw’ the letters of the alphabet in the air with your toes. Weight-bearing exercises should be gradually introduced as tolerated. An injury that fails to respond to treatment within 1-2 weeks might be more serious, and a physician should be consulted.