Ankle Injury

Ankle Sprains

The most common type of sprain is a sprained ankle. About 25,000 people sprain an ankle every day. Think of a runner who goes over a curb and catches her foot, twisting the ankle, or a baseball player who slides into a base and twists his knee.

How Can You Tell the Difference?

The signs of most sprains or strains are very similar: pain and inflammation, and sometimes bruising, at the injured area. Depending on how bad the sprain or strain is, the pain may be mild, moderate, or severe.

The worse the sprain or strain, the harder it is to use the affected area. Someone with a mild ankle sprain may just favor that ankle slightly. A more severe ankle sprain may cause much more pain and make it tough or impossible to walk.

If you have a sprain, your doctor may mention its “grade”:

• Grade I is stretching of the ligament or a very mild tear, with little or no instability at the joint.
• Grade II is a more serious but still incomplete tear, with some looseness in the joint.
• Grade III is a completely torn or ruptured ligament. This is not a broken bone but can feel like one since it’s often impossible to put weight on the joint or use the affected limb because the joint isn’t stable.