Ankle Sprains & Strains

An ankle sprain is one of the most common sporting injuries - so much so that most of us have experienced one at some point!

An ankle sprain occurs when the ligaments on the outside of your ankle are over-stretched and/or torn to some degree. This most commonly involves the ‘lateral ankle complex’ made up of the anterior talofibular, calcaneofibular and posterior talofibular ligaments. Ankle sprains most commonly occur after a sudden, rapid change in direction while running or when the ankle is ‘rolled’ while hiking or traveling on uneven surfaces.

Grade 1-3 sprains

There are 3 types of ankles sprains which are rated on a grading scale (from 1-3) based on the severity of the injury.

Grade 1 Ankle Sprain

• Results from overstretching and very little, if any, tearing of the ankle ligaments
• Pain is very mild
• A person is able to bear weight fully on the ankle joint - no crutches but a wrap might help the first day or two
• There may be a bit of mild swelling and or bruising, with some slight stiffness
• These tend to heal relatively quickly, in about 1-3 weeks

Grade 2 Ankle Sprain

• Moderate tearing of the lateral ligaments
• Pain is moderate
• Bearing full weight is difficult - crutches are a good idea
• Moderate swelling and bruising
• Will take 3-6 weeks to heal

Grade 3 Ankle Sprain

• Ligaments are completely torn in a Grade 3 sprain
• An audible ‘snap’ may have occurred when the sprain happened and there is intense pain
• Not possible to bear any weight on the joint - it’s completely unstable
• Swelling is rapid and extreme, with deep, dark bruising
• A Grade 3 ankle sprain requires surgery because the ligaments are completely torn - they cannot reattach themselves

How To Heal An Ankle Sprain

Grade 1 and 2 ankle sprains are relatively easily treated at home with natural remedies. A severe sprain (grade 3) will require seeing your doctor so the extent of tearing can be assessed and along with a surgical consultation. Regardless, using these natural medicines will also speed healing of the worst ankle sprains.

Rest up!
Take some time off to allow the ligaments to heal fully. Continuing to stress the joint (and ligaments) will just prolong healing, and may even lead to an overall weaker ankle over time.

Cell Rescue contains a comprehensive collection of the most powerful natural anti-inflammatories available. You can think of this as a natural version of ibuprofen, but without the nasty side effects. 

Use enzymes - enzymes like Inflammation Relief  and Wobenzyme are naturally occurring chemicals produced by the body to breakdown inflammatory chemicals in the body; they also help repair damaged tissue and speed healing.

Other natural medicines that can be of help include MSI Support, Phytoprofen and T-Relief Ointment.

Once the pain is decreased, it’s time to start doing some physical therapy to strengthen the weakened ankle ligaments. Some good techniques include:

1. ‘Draw’ each letter of the alphabet in the air using your foot. Write each letter normally, then try to write it backwards - don’t worry no one is going to be able to criticize your “foot-writing” here!
2. Or, you can set up a pile of marbles or other small objects and try to grasp each one with your toes and move it to another pile - then move that pile back.

Do one of these exercises twice a day, for about 20 minutes. Go slow with weight bearing and eventual exercise - you’ll know you’re ready when the ankle feels strong and painless while bearing weight.

Here's a detailed video covering how to heal from ankle sprains.