Symptoms Pain, swelling, bruising and difficulty moving the ankle after an injury are the typical signs of an ankle sprain. It is important to try and remember what position the leg and foot were in when the injury happened. This can assist your doctor in determining the type of injury you sustained. During your exam an x-ray of the foot and ankle may be taken to determine if any bones were broken or if the joints dislocated. Classification Ankle sprains can be placed into two categories, acute and chronic.
Acute ankle sprains occur by a sudden unexpected twist.
Chronic sprains are developed by repetitive injury to the ankle. These may be caused by a functional problem with the foot and ankle which may predispose an individual to twist their ankle. Additional tests such as MRI may be needed to determine the extent of the injury. Treatment Treatment of an ankle sprain is determined by the severity of the injury. This should be followed up by physical therapy to strengthen the ankle accompanied by supportive bracing.