16th May 2024

What is an Ankle Sprain?

Causes, Treatment, and Return to Sport Recovery Time

Ben Lester

The Problem of Ankle Sprains in Athletes

In a high-level sporting population, ankle sprains can be a major problem, and the ongoing pain and instability can cause athletes to retire early. Often, these injuries are managed in primary care, given swelling management advice, and told to go back to sports when the pain stops – but is this a recipe for disaster?

Chronic Ankle Instability in Sports

Athletes who ‘roll’ their ankles when competing often have a history of previous sprains and continually injure the joint, which can lead to chronic ankle instability. This is often due to weakness of the muscles, poor proprioception, and ligaments that are continually injured and repaired weakly.

After an ankle sprain, a physiotherapy assessment must be carried out to first identify the extent of the injury, ensure there are no bony injuries, and also make sure the athlete is safe to return to sports.

Muscle Weakness and Poor Balance Post-Injury

As physiotherapists, we often find that due to the injury and period of immobility, the muscles that support the ankle joint become weak. This puts the ankle at risk when performing high-risk motions such as changing direction, landing, and cutting movements.

We also see that poor balance is present, and when combined with weakness, it creates a very high-risk situation when playing team sports or activities that place high demands on the ankle joint.

Effective Rehabilitation for Ankle Sprain

There is no set formula when rehabbing lateral ankle sprains, and it depends on several factors such as:

• What level of sport do you play and how frequently do you play or train
• What sport do you play
• How severe is the ankle sprain and is any other anatomy involved
• How much pain you are in

The most important thing is finding the right local physiotherapy clinic to help you get back to the highest level, and this is where LIFT Physiotherapy can take your ankle to the next level.

With our evidence-based physiotherapy principles, modern gym-based clinic, and the flexibility to rehabilitate athletes in their sporting environment, it provides the perfect environment for you to return to sports. Not just pain-free, but at the highest possible level.

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