How to Prevent Chronic Instability After a Severe Ankle Sprain

Ankle sprains happen so quickly. One minute, you’re running, walking, or standing, not thinking about your ankles. The next moment, you put a foot down wrong and your ankle bends too far to the side, leaving you in pain with limited mobility and possible swelling.

Ankle sprains damage the ligaments that hold your ankle joint together. Healing after a severe ankle sprain needs to involve careful attention to these ligaments. Otherwise, damage can remain for years, resulting in ongoing, chronic instability in the foot and ankle.

If you’ve sprained your ankle, Dr. Michael L. Blackwell and the team of orthopedic and sports medicine specialists at the Center for Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine focus on resolving your current symptoms and on ensuring long-term healing and ankle joint stability. 

We offer comprehensive care at convenient locations in Tomball, Kingwood, and The Woodlands, Texas.

Here’s what Dr. Blackwell wants you to know about preventing ankle instability after a bad sprain.

Immediately after your sprain

It’s important to take sprains seriously, and get your sprained ankle evaluated by Dr. Blackwell as soon as possible. Mild sprains may seem to resolve on their own, but they can still leave you with lasting issues of ankle instability. You don’t want that to happen to you.

Dr. Blackwell and the team start your treatment with a diagnostic exam, learning more about the condition of your ankle. They can learn a lot from a physical exam and a discussion of your symptoms. Diagnostic imaging tests may also be needed for your diagnosis.

In the first 48 hours after your injury, it’s essential to manage pain and swelling and prevent further damage to your ligaments. 

The RICE protocol of rest, ice, compression, and elevation helps your ankle in the first few days of your recovery. Heat packs or hot showers can increase swelling, so avoid these immediately after your sprain.

Healing from a severe ankle sprain

The details of your diagnosis and injury dictate how long you can expect to spend recovering from an ankle sprain. If you have a mild injury, with minimal ligament stretching and no tearing, recovery can be as quick as 1-3 weeks.

However, if you suffer a Grade 3 sprain that fully ruptures a ligament in your ankle, you may need several months to heal.

Your recovery after a sprain emphasizes the restoration of your ankle joint’s full range of motion. Dr. Blackwell may recommend splinting, bracing, or taping to support your ankle as you start to restore function with physical therapy. 

You begin stretches and exercises designed to safely restore your range of motion as early as 48-72 hours after the injury, working up to standing exercises as your recovery progresses.

Preventing ankle reinjury

In the final stages of your functional recovery, and going forward, increasing your core strength is key to preventing future ankle instability, as it hones your balance and protects you against falls. You need to maintain this strength and flexibility to prevent chronic instability or recurring sprains.

If needed, Dr. Blackwell may recommend that you use ankle taping or an ankle support brace to support a weak ankle. The more times you sprain the same ankle, the worse your ankle instability can become. So, it’s worth it to take steps like taping to prevent reinjury.

After you recover from a severe ankle sprain, it’s extra important to warm up thoroughly before getting active or playing sports. Take care when moving over uneven ground, and make sure your shoes adequately support your feet and ankles.

With Dr. Blackwell’s support and the right approach to strength and balance, you can avoid chronic ankle instability, even after a Grade 3 ankle sprain. For sprain diagnosis and treatment, contact Dr. Blackwell at the Center for Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine online or over the phone today.