Sprained ankles occur when there is an overstretching of ligaments that support the ankle. If you have a rolled, twisted or sprained ankle may have pain, swelling, bruising, tenderness or pain with ankle movements and difficulty putting weight through that ankle. 

From my experience as an Osteopath and having rolled my ankle more than once, here are my top 3 tips for managing an ankle sprain.

1. Don’t ignore it

It seems to be a common thing we hear “I’ve rolled my ankle but just went on and kept playing and then did nothing about it”. Would you do that for a broken bone? You’ve got an injury and should follow advice given to treat it properly.

2. Treat it correctly

When you first roll an ankle, follow the RICER principle: rest, ice, compression, elevation and referral to a health professional. The first 72 hours after the injury are the most important. Yes this may mean you have to stop playing your game or sport. 

Once you have treated the swelling and the pain has reduced and your range of motion has improved, start building up the strength and function of your ankle.

3. Prevent it from occurring again

Start completing exercises that focus on improving your proprioception (your awareness of where your ankle is) and strength around your ankle. This can involve exercises such as standing on one leg, calf raises or ankle mobility exercises. Improving the strength and function of your ankle can help reduce the risk of another rolled ankle. And if you do roll your ankle ankle again, (because sometimes things are just unavoidable) then refer to tips 1 and 2.