Ankle Ligament Injury
Twisted your ankle! Proper first aid and treatment
An ankle sprain is an injury where the ligaments in the ankle are stretched or torn when the joint is twisted forcefully.
It is one of the most common injuries, happening during sports or everyday falls.
The ligaments on the outside of the ankle are most often affected. If you think "it's just a sprain" and ignore it, it can lead to repeated sprains and chronic ankle instability.
A bad landing or tripping on a step causes the ankle to turn inward sharply
The ligaments on the outside of the ankle are stretched beyond their limit
The ligaments partially or completely tear, leading to swelling and bruising
Without proper healing, the ligaments stay loose, raising the risk of repeated sprains
Mild cases often heal in a relatively short time, but for moderate to severe sprains involving a partial or complete ligament tear, return to sport generally takes around 4-8 weeks. Pain usually settles before the ligament has fully healed, so returning to activity too early on your own judgement increases the risk of re-injury, chronic instability, and cartilage damage.
Don't ignore a sprain as "just a twist."
Without proper treatment, the ligaments may stay loose, leading to an unstable ankle that sprains repeatedly. Over time, this can cause joint deformity. It is also important to check for fractures with X-ray or ultrasound.