Sprained ankle
Date issued: May 2021
Review date: May 2023
Ref: D-356/JS/Learning Disability Team/Sprained ankle
PDF: sprained ankle final May 2021.pdf [pdf] 644KB
How our body moves:
Inside your body is a skeleton made up of 206 different sized bones. The place where bones meet is called a joint. Your elbows and ankles are examples of joints.
Muscles cover our bones and let us move our bodies. We have over 600 muscles.
Tendons connect muscles to bones and ligaments help to hold things in place.
If you fall, slip or exercise too hard you can sprain a ligament near a joint. The ligament has been stretched or torn.
If you sprain an ankle you need to get medical advice.
You may need to use crutches for a while. The hospital will show you how to use these.
Treating a sprained ankle:
Protect: it is important to look after your ankle and try not to over stretch it
Rest: for the first 24 hours avoid putting your full weight on your ankle
Ice: put a cold compress, ice cubes wrapped in a tea towel or a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a tea towel on your ankle
Compression: tight support bandages only work if put on minutes after a sprain
Elevate: sit or lie with your ankle above the level of your heart. This is to help reduce any swelling
Your ankle will swell and bruise; this is normal so do not worry.
Taking painkillers:
Pain killers such as paracetamol and anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen (tablets that help with any swelling or pain) are important.
You can get these from a chemist or supermarket.
Talk to the chemist about possible side effects. These tablets could make you constipated (unable to poo properly).
Exercises:
Gentle exercise is important as it will stop your ankle from going stiff.
Move your foot up and down from the ankle and draw circles in the air with your toes; first one way and then the other.
