Is My Ankle Sprained?

Volleyball, running, tennis, and other activities are fun but can be hard on the ankles, causing sprains. Sometimes, the sprains are so severe that patients are often convinced that they broke their ankles instead. Dr. Joseph Mechanik and his staff, welcomes you to the Colorado Foot Institute, where he will examine your ankle and answer all of your questions.

How do I know for sure that I sprained my ankle?

Sprained ankles present with swollen, tender, soft tissue and are painful to the touch. It is usually difficult to stand and walk. You may hear noises as the loosened ligaments move over the bones.

There are three grades of sprains when referring to the ankles:

• Grade one consists of mild pain and stiffness, which interferes with a healthy range of motion.
• Grade two entails much more pain and loss of the ability to move the ankle, with some trouble walking.
• Grade three means a lot of wobbliness (which raises the chance of spraining the ankle again in the same place), problems walking.
  
  

Most of the time, broken or fractured ankles are painful over the bone structure. Both injuries tend to hurt when the patient tries to stand on the affected ankle.

You might find you do not need to see a doctor, especially if the sprain is grade one. Most sprains resolve fully by themselves in a few months. While you are healing, be sure to rest, ice, compress and elevate the ankle so that the pain goes away and the swelling goes down. Rest is the key.

On the other hand, some patients may be afraid that if they fell on their ankle that they might have broken it. That might not necessarily be the case. If you are unsure and need a professional opinion, reach out to Dr. Mechanik’s office at the Colorado Foot Institute in Centennial, CO, at 303-333-3383 today.