It is supported by many ligaments on both sides of the joint. Luckily, these ligaments heal well and very little needs to be done medically for most ankle sprains. Crutches may be prescribed for a few days to allow the ankle some rest . Elevation is very important - it helps to decrease swelling. Compression - often in the form of some kind of wrap, also helps to decrease swelling.
Ice helps to decrease pain and swelling.
Range of motion exercises are begun when the ankle is feeling more comfortable. We will sometimes recommend physical therapy to help retrain this natural ability. Recurrent sprains are usually a result of poor proprioception and coordination, insufficient ligament strength, and weak peroneal muscles. Often, this consists of simply finding the torn ligaments, sewing them back together, and immobilizing the ankle for a period of time. Sometimes we need to transfer tendons to augment the function of the ligaments if they are too flimsy to sew back together again.