How to Know if You've Sprained Your Ankle

Recognizing the signs of a sprained ankle can shorten your recovery time and decrease further ankle damage.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Plenty Of Ice

1. Get off your feet as soon as you have injured your ankle.

2. Remove your shoe and sock. You don't want to constrict a freshly injured ankle. Your body's natural response to a sprain is to flood the area with blood and lymph fluids.

3. Check your ankle for pain by gently rotating your foot. If you are experiencing mild pain, you probably have a mild sprain. Ankle pain that is moderate to severe indicates a sprain that is more serious, or the ankle is broken.

4. Realize that severe sprains are sometimes so painful that you can't bear to set your foot down on the ground.

5. Look for swelling around the ankle. The swelling may extend down to your foot or up your calf.

6. Feel for heat around the anklebone. A warmer-than-normal ankle is a sign of a sprain. A hot ankle suggests a broken bone.

7. Check for bruising around the anklebone. Bruising is caused by blood collecting underneath the skin. Bleeding under the skin will make your ankle appear discolored within 12 to 24 hours after the injury.

8. Call your doctor or visit your local emergency room if you are having moderate-to-severe ankle pain or massive swelling.

Tips & Warnings

• If you feel you have a mild-to-moderate ankle sprain, rest is the key to early recovery. Stay off your ankle as much as possible, keep your leg elevated to the level of your chest, and apply ice four times a day, 20 to 30 minutes each time.
• X-raying the ankle is the only sure way to rule out an ankle fracture.
• Never apply heat to a fresh sprain. Putting heat on a sprain causes the blood vessels to enlarge (dilate). Dilated blood vessels bring more blood to the injured ankle and only increase swelling and aggravate tenderness.
• Never try to "walk off" an ankle injury. A mildly sprained ankle can rupture ankle ligaments if it is not properly rested.
• If you have any questions or concerns, contact a physician or other health care professional before engaging in any activity related to health and diet. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment.

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[xxxmcrxxx]

on 8/17/2009 ok, i hurt my ankle last saturday. i landed on it on the concrete stairs in my garage.
i went to my family doctor, who put a half cast on, and she sent me to a specialist. he said to use crutches and put a splint on it. should i really use crutches if it doesnt hurt to put pressure on it?

[nrlawton]

on 8/9/2009 Helpful article. I THINK it's just sprained.... Thanks.

[jessica6987]

on 5/29/2009 I have a sprained ankle is what the doctor says. I was out at the gas station and went around to get gas and slipped and my foot went down. They put me on crutches and aircast and one doctor said i had a broken bone and the other said i didnt. what should i do?

[Jaker788]

on 10/23/2008 I also dident use crutches like I said.

[Jaker788]

on 10/23/2008 I may have herd a small crack it may be a fracture what do I do is it?
Respond I need help it doesn't hurt much only after school and in the morning.