Why You Shouldn't "Grin and Bear" an Ankle Sprain

Most people will experience an ankle sprain at some point in their lives. Athletes might misstep while playing their sport, but even a sedentary lifestyle can lead to this kind of injury. Missing a step, walking on an uneven paving stone, or simply tripping can all lead to a sprained ankle.

Fortunately, in most cases, the ankle sprain heals on its own. That doesn’t mean you can just grin and bear it, continuing to go about your days, though. Your ankle needs some support to heal. 

We can help you figure out what’s required after an ankle sprain. Karl Siebuhr, MD, and our team specialize in addressing this kind of injury. If your sprain doesn’t seem to be improving within a few days, visit us at Reconstructive Orthopaedics of Central Florida in Ocala, Florida. 

You could make the issue worse

If you hobble around on your ankle, you put strain on the already injured ligaments that support your ankle. With continued stress on those fibrous bands, they have a harder time healing. Plus, your movement might make the ligament injury worse. 

Don’t do any activities that make your pain worse. Try to stay largely off the ankle for the first couple of days. After that, start gradually increasing your activity as it feels comfortable. 

If you’re feeling pain as you move, get back off the ankle. Continuing to put strain on the ligaments can cause the area to heal improperly or fail to heal at all. That heightens your risk of chronic ankle instability or repeat ankle sprains. 

Scaling up your ankle sprain treatment as needed

Since you shouldn’t just grin and bear your ankle sprain, you’re probably wondering what you should do. Dr. Siebuhr recommends the RICE method to support your ligaments and their healing. That means:

• Rest, or avoiding any activity that makes your pain worse

• Icing the ankle for about 15 minutes every few hours (wrap the ice in a towel)

• Compression with a bandage around your ankle

• Elevating the ankle to reduce swelling, helping it heal

With the RICE method, you should see your ankle start to improve in a matter of days.

If you don’t, come see Dr. Siebuhr. He can evaluate your ankle to see if it needs extra support. He might recommend a walking boot to immobilize the ankle or platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy to support your tissue’s healing mechanisms. 

The longer you let persistent pain from an ankle sprain go unchecked, the harder it typically is to treat. Don’t hobble your way through this injury. Instead, be serious about applying the RICE method for the first few days. Then, loop Dr. Siebuhr in if you’re not improving from there. 

To get a personalized plan to help you heal your ankle sprain, call our Reconstructive Orthopaedics of Central Florida office or request an appointment online.