What Does it Mean When Your Ankle Is Sprained?

Ankle sprains occur when you tear or overstretch ligaments in your ankle. This is a common sports injury, but sprained ankles can also occur during routine activities, such as walking. Your risk of developing an ankle sprain increases when you engage in activities that require high side-by-side motions.

Symptoms

• Swelling, extreme tenderness to the touch and pain when applying weight to the ankle are common ankle-sprain symptoms.

Complications

• Inversion ankle sprains can occur when the foot is turned abruptly.

Treatment

• If you do not engage in high-performance activity, ankle sprains can typically be treated at home with rest and ice. Surgery may be necessary for complete ligament tears.

Severe Sprains

• Consult your doctor if you experience quick swelling, bleeding under the skin, extreme pain and are unable to support your body weight.

Fact

• People who are wheelchair-bound also are prone to ankle sprains. Inactivity can cause ligaments to weaken and lose elasticity.