Its lower end forms the lateral malleolus, the outer bump of the ankle. Fibula: the smaller of the two bones in the lower leg.Its bottom portion forms the medial malleolus, the inside bump of the ankle. Tibia: the major bone of the lower leg.The ankle joint is made up of three bones.An unnatural twisting motion of the ankle joint can happen when the foot is planted awkwardly, when the ground is uneven, or when an unusual amount of force is applied to the joint. Sprained ankles are the most frequent type of musculoskeletal injury seen by primary care providers.Īnkle sprains are common sports injuries but also happen during everyday activities.
If there is pain or weakness in the ankle after several weeks, make an appointment with your doctor.īy: Riki Duncan, MA.Sprained ankles can cause a lot of pain. Most ankle sprains (twisted ankle) heal without complications or difficulty. Recovery time depends upon the severity of the ankle sprain and possible accompanying injuries. Most sprains will heal nicely with these home treatments and exercising the ankle. The structure of these can provide additional support that is needed when walking or exercising the ankle.
Taking an oral anti-inflammatory, like Advil or Aleve, can also help reduce your pain and swelling so you can work on strengthening the ankle.Ī few other home remedies you could try is wearing more supportive shoes, like tennis shoes, or wearing ankle braces that can be bought at local drug stores. Rest your ankle and use Ice for 20 minutes every hour to reduce swelling, Compress the ankle with an ace bandage or tight fitting sock, and Elevate your foot to promote good circulation. As with a lot of other injuries, just remember to RICE! There are a couple really easy things you can do on your home to help speed up your recovery time and get you back to normal faster. If this happens, you should make an appointment with your doctor. More extreme cases may involve hearing a ‘pop’ in the ankle during the actual injury. Some more people might also experience bruising or swelling in the foot or ankle following a sprain. There may be discomfort with walking or standing on that foot. Typically, pain will either be on the inside of the ankle or the outside. How Do I Know I Have a Sprain?Ī good rule of thumb is pain and point tenderness over the affected area. Powerful eversion (turning outward of the foot) is the reason for this injury. This is a pretty uncommon injury because the medial (inner) ligaments of the ankle form a wide, thick protective bundle over the ankle joint and is pretty structurally strong. The least common ankle sprain is the medial ankle sprain. Common ways to sprain this ligament involve side-to-side running, starting and stopping your feet repetitively, or turning while in motion. This type of ankle sprain is caused by an outward twisting of the foot and ankle. Possibly due to the nature of these injuries which are more commonly seen in those with high intensity lifestyles, such as athletes. These injuries feel like they take a bit more the recover from. The next most common ankle sprain is the High (Syndesmotic) Ankle Sprain.