Current:Home > ContactRecovering from a sprained ankle? Here’s how long it’ll take to heal. -Stellar Financial Insights
Recovering from a sprained ankle? Here’s how long it’ll take to heal.
View
Date:2025-04-12 02:00:44
If you’ve ever dealt with a sprained ankle, you’re probably familiar with the pain and swelling that can keep you from going about your day. An ankle sprain occurs when one of the ligaments that connects your foot to your leg becomes stretched or torn, per WebMD.
Sprained ankles are common, and they’re often the result of a sports injury or an accidental fall. Depending on how bad your sprain is, recovery times will differ, and accordingly, so will your treatment options. In conversation with USA TODAY, a podiatrist weighs in on the steps you need to take to get back on your feet in no time.
How do I know if my ankle sprain is serious?
Ankle sprain injuries are graded according to the amount of force that causes the ligament to abnormally stretch, per UCONN Health. “I like to think of it as a spectrum” ranging from “mild to severe,” says Dr. Megan Ishibashi, DPM, FACFAS, a podiatrist and foot and ankle surgeon. As the grades increase, so will the intensity of your symptoms.
A Grade 1 ankle sprain is a mild injury where “small tears in the ligaments of the ankle” cause pain, swelling, and bruising, Ishibashi explains. Typically, you’ll be able to put weight on your foot, she says. This type of injury can occur when you “twist” your ankle.
A Grade 2 ankle sprain is “a partial tear of the ligament” which results in more pain, swelling, bruising, and greater difficulty walking, says Ishibashi. If you’re experiencing symptoms consistent with a Grade 2 sprain, you’ll want to be seen by a doctor, she notes.
A Grade 3 sprain is a “severe ankle sprain” that results from a “complete tear or rupture of a ligament,” Ishibashi adds. Grade 3 sprains are defined by markedly intense pain, swelling, and an inability to walk.
How long does a sprained ankle take to heal?
The recovery period for a sprained ankle will depend on the intensity of your injury. A mild ankle sprain can clear up anywhere between a couple of days to a week, Ishibashi says, while severe ankle sprains can take a few months to completely heal.
How to heal a sprained ankle quickly
While you’re recovering from a sprain, it’s important to prioritize rest, Ishibashi underscores. No matter the severity, you can practice the classic “RICE” protocol, which consists of rest, ice, compression and elevation to help with pain and swelling, she says.
For mild ankle sprains, wearing an ankle brace for the first couple of days to a week can provide much needed support and relief, Ishibashi says. The treatment for a severe ankle sprain will likely require wearing a boot to help control swelling and provide more robust support, she says.
ACL-related injuries are very common.Here's what causes them, plus how to avoid them.
Additionally, “it’s really important to start rehab as soon as possible,” Ishibashi notes. If your sprain is mild to moderate, ankle range of motion exercises and strengthening exercises can be started a couple days after your injury has occurred. These exercises can be performed at home, although physical therapy may be necessary, she says.
veryGood! (697)
Related
- Selena Gomez's "Weird Uncles" Steve Martin and Martin Short React to Her Engagement
- Stock market today: Asian stocks follow Wall St tumble. Most markets in the region close for holiday
- Montana man gets 2 1/2 years in prison for leaving threatening voicemails for Senator Jon Tester
- 'Challengers' spicy scene has people buzzing about sex. That's a good thing, experts say.
- John Galliano out at Maison Margiela, capping year of fashion designer musical chairs
- Brewers, Rays have benches-clearing brawl as Jose Siri and Abner Uribe throw punches
- Bucks defeat Pacers in Game 5 without Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard
- How Isabella Strahan Is Embracing Hair Loss Amid Cancer Journey
- 2 killed, 3 injured in shooting at makeshift club in Houston
- Selling the OC Stars Reveal the Secrets Behind Their Head-Turning Fashion
Ranking
- 'Survivor' 47 finale, part one recap: 2 players were sent home. Who's left in the game?
- The Islamic State group says it was behind a mosque attack in Afghanistan that killed 6 people
- ‘A step back in time': America’s Catholic Church sees an immense shift toward the old ways
- Ex-Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel has been threatened with jail time in his divorce case
- Trump issues order to ban transgender troops from serving openly in the military
- The Best Mother's Day Gifts for the Most Paw-some Dog Mom in Your Life
- Harvey Weinstein to return to court Wednesday after his NY rape conviction was overturned
- What time is the Kentucky Derby? Everything you need to know about this year's race
Recommendation
Jamie Foxx gets stitches after a glass is thrown at him during dinner in Beverly Hills
United Methodists repeal longstanding ban on LGBTQ clergy
Bear eats family of ducks as children and parents watch in horror: See the video
Clear is now enrolling people for TSA PreCheck at these airports
Paige Bueckers vs. Hannah Hidalgo highlights women's basketball games to watch
World's Strongest Man competition returns: Who to know, how to follow along
Jeff Daniels loads up for loathing in 'A Man in Full' with big bluster, Georgia accent
Tiger Woods goes on Jimmy Fallon, explains Sun Day Red, has fun with Masters tree memes