Ankle pain

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Ankle sprain

Ankle sprain swelling

Sprained ankle

Pain - ankle; Sprain - ankle; Ankle sprain

To treat an ankle sprain:

• Rest your ankle for several days. Try NOT to put much weight on your ankle.
• Put on an ACE bandage. You also can buy a brace that supports your ankle.
• Use crutches or a cane to help take the weight off a sore or unsteady ankle.
• Keep your foot raised above the level of your heart. When you are sitting or sleeping, place two pillows under your ankle.
• Ice the area right away. Apply ice for 10-15 minutes every hour for the first day. Then, apply ice every 3-4 hours for 2 more days.
• Try acetaminophen or ibuprofen for pain and swelling.

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As the swelling and pain improve, you will need to keep extra stress off your ankle for up to 10 days for a milder sprain and 2 to 5 weeks for a more severe sprain.

The injury may take a few weeks to many months to fully heal. Once the pain and swelling are mostly gone, the injured ankle will still be a little weaker and less stable than the uninjured ankle.

You will need to start exercises to strengthen your ankle and avoid injury in the future. Do not begin these exercises until a health care professional tells you it is safe to start.

For arthritis and other ankle problems, follw the treatment your doctor recommended.

Go to the hospital if:

• You have severe pain even when you are NOT bearing weight.
• You suspect a broken bone (the joint looks deformed and you cannot put any weight on the leg).
• You can hear a popping sound and have immediate trouble using the joint.

Call your doctor if:

• Swelling does not go down within 2 - 3 days
• You have symptoms of infection -- the area becomes red, more painful, or warm, or you have a fever over 100 °F
• The pain does not go away after several weeks
• Other joints are also involved
• You have a history of arthritis and are having new symptoms

Your doctor will perform a physical examination, including a detailed examination of the ankles, and will ask questions such as: