Ankle sprain is an injury to the tough bands of tissue (ligaments) that surround and connect bones of the leg to the foot. The injury typically happens when you accidentally twist or turn your ankle in an awkward way. This can stretch or tear the ligaments that hold your ankle bones and joints together. Tendons, cartilage, and blood vessels might also be damaged due to the sprain.
You may have a sprained ankle if you notice the following symptoms in the ankle:
It can take several weeks or months for a sprained ankle to heal completely.
At Vivacare Advanced Physiotherapy and Pain Clinic, our physiotherapists will assess the cause of your condition and advise you with an individualized treatment plan. The clinic provides the following therapies to bring you quick and long term relief:
You will be given home exercise regime including strengthening and stretching exercises to maintain the effects of therapy and prevent the recurrence of the problem.
If you can’t bear weight at all, the swelling is severe, or the ankle still feels unstable after the initial few days, get it assessed — untreated sprains are a common cause of repeated ankle injuries later.
Yes, in the first 24–48 hours this helps manage swelling. After that, gradual guided movement is important — prolonged rest alone can slow recovery and weaken the ankle.
Recurrent sprains are often due to incomplete rehab the first time round, leaving the ligaments lax and balance/proprioception weaker — a structured program addresses both.
Severe pain directly over the bone, an inability to take any weight at all, or visible deformity are signs that warrant an X-ray to rule out a fracture — your therapist can help assess this.
Light, pain-tolerated weight-bearing is often fine for mild sprains and can support recovery, but your therapist will confirm what’s appropriate based on the grade of your sprain.
The ligaments can heal in a slightly lengthened, less stable position, increasing the risk of repeated sprains and, over time, chronic ankle instability.
