Imagine this scenario:

Imagine this scenario:

You’re at the grocery store finishing up and about to walk outside to load the groceries in your car. When you reach the grocery store door, your toddler decides to sprint into the parking lot without you.

Without thinking, you sprint after them and in the meantime step off the curb wrong spraining your ankle. Once the adrenaline wears off and your toddler is safe inside the car, you realize your ankle is throbbing.

During this post, I want to teach you how to determine if the ankle sprain you’ve experienced is a high or low sprain, as well as how to treat it to prevent future injuries.

What is a High Ankle Sprain?

High ankle sprains are an injury to the ankle ligaments located between the ankle joint formed by the tibia and fibula. This type of sprain is much less common than a low ankle sprain.

High ankle sprains sometimes require more attention including increased rest, a visit to the doctor, a physical therapy evaluation, and proper treatment. This type of sprain is most commonly a sports injury.

Low Ankle Sprains

a man grabbing his foot after spraining his ankle

Low ankle sprains typically occur when walking on an uneven surface resulting in the body rolling over the foot. This injury occurs between the talocrural joint and affects the tissue on the anterior or lateral part of the ankle.

How to Recover from a High Ankle Sprain

With both types of ankle sprains, the injured tissue can cause pain, bruising, and swelling. Common recovery time is around 6-8 weeks.

The most often recommended treatment for an ankle sprain is rest, ice, elevation, and compression. The primary goal is to reduce pain and swelling. Elevating the injured lower extremity should be above heart level allowing gravity to assist with moving the excess fluid back toward the heart. You can also use an elastic bandage to provide compression to the ankle joint.

Check out my blog here to learn more about the benefits of elevating the limbs above heart level.

How Long Does It Take To Recover From An Ankle Sprain?

Once the ankle starts to feel better, it is important to move the ankle and put bear weight on it. Focus on movement that allows the ankle to be pain free. Pain is the body’s way of clueing you in to preventing more damage than already present. It’s important to listen to it.

Before choosing to weight bear, start with gentle activity such as an ankle pump. This will promote range of motion in the ankle, as well as reduce swelling.

If you’re not sure if a movement is appropriate, see a doctor. There is no harm in getting it assessed by a physical therapist or physician to clear the injury of any serious problem.

How to Prevent Ankle Injuries

a person lacing up their shoes before running

After recovery from an injury, it is important to address the concept of preventing future injuries. As we dive into these exercise examples, keep in mind they are to be completed when the foot and ankle are completed health following injury.

Select 2-3 exercises per day to complete. The goal is to complete each exercise 3 sets to fatigue, but without pain.

Generally, if you’re not feeling a sense of fatigue after 3 sets of 10-15 reps, then this exercise is too easy for you. Next time, select a different exercise that challenges you more.

Ankle Exercises for You to Complete at Home

Here are some exercise examples.

DOUBLE LEG HEEL RAISES WITH SUPPORT - CALF RAISES:

While standing next to a chair or countertop for support, raise up on your toes as you lift your heels off the ground. Return your heels to the floor and repeat.

ANKLE ABC's:

While in a seated position, write out the alphabet in the air with your big toe.

Your ankle should be moving as you perform this.

ANKLE CIRCLES:

Move your ankle in a circular clockwise pattern for several repetitions and then repeat in the reverse counterclockwise direction.

TOES RAISES - DORSIFLEXION - BILATERAL:

Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the ground.

Next, raise up both forefeet and toes as shown as you bend at your ankle. Keep your heels on the ground the entire time. If this is difficult, slide your feet forward and try again.

ELASTIC BAND EVERSION - SEATED:

Using an elastic band attached to your foot, hook it under your opposite foot and up to your hand.

Next, draw the band outwards to the side.

Be sure to keep your heel in contact with the floor the entire time.

ELASTIC BAND PLANTARFLEXION - SEATED:

While seated, use an elastic band attached to your foot and press your foot downward and forward.

Be sure to keep your heel in contact with the floor the entire time.

ELASTIC BAND INVERSION - SEATED:

While seated, cross your legs and using an elastic band attached to your foot, hook it under your opposite foot and up to your hand.

Next, draw your foot inward.

Be sure to keep your heel in contact with the floor the entire time.

ELASTIC BAND DORSIFLEXION - SEATED:

While seated, use an elastic band attached to your foot and draw your foot upward.

Be sure to keep your heel in contact with the floor the entire time.

ANKLE PUMPS - SEATED AP:

While seated with feet on the floor, press your toes into the floor so that your heels raise up off the floor. Then, relax to allow your heels to lower and then lift your toes off the floor as your heels press into the floor. Alternate and repeat.

MARBLE PICK UPS:

Place several marbles, dice or other small items on the floor and pick them up using your toes as shown. Place them in a cup or bowl and repeat.

HEEL RAISES - CALF RAISES - STEP - BILATERAL:

While standing on the edge of a step with your heels off the back end of the step, raise up on your toes as you raise your heels and body.

CUPS - ALTERNATE TOE TAPS:

Stand next to something for balance assist if needed.

Place a paper or plastic cup on the floor.

Stand in front of the cup and raise one foot off the floor as you balance on the other leg. Tap the top of the cup with your toes. Then, set your foot back down and perform on the other side. Use a hand on the table for balance if needed.

If you lose your balance, you can use one or more strategies to help:

Take a step

Raise arms out to the sides

Grab onto something for support

WALL FALLS - SINGLE LEG - LATERAL - BALANCE DRILL:

Stand on one leg with a wall a couple feet off to the side of that leg.

Next, slowly and controlled, lean to the side towards the wall. Try and control your balance to prevent falling to the side, however, keep leaning more and more towards the wall until eventually you lose your balance and fall. Use your arm to catch the fall and then push yourself back upright and perform it again.

Keep your abdominal muscles, buttocks and thighs (quads) tight during the exercise.

WALL FALLS - SINGLE LEG - FORWARD - BALANCE DRILL:

Stand on one leg facing a wall, a couple feet away from the wall.

Next, slowly and controlled, lean forward towards the wall. Try and control your balance to prevent falling forward however, keep leaning more and more forward until eventually you do lose your balance and fall. Use your arms to catch the fall and then push yourself back upright and perform it again.

Keep your abdominal muscles, buttocks and thighs (quads) tight during the exercise.

WALL FALLS - SINGLE LEG - RETRO - BALANCE DRILL:

Stand on one leg with a wall approximately 6-12 inches behind you.

Next, slowly and controlled, lean backwards towards the wall. Try and control your balance to prevent falling back however, keep leaning more and more until eventually you lose your balance and fall back towards the wall. Use your upper back to catch the fall and then push yourself back upright and perform it again.
CONE TAPS - HAND - SINGLE LEG - MULTI-DIRECTIONAL:

Place 5 cones or cups around you as shown. Balance on a slightly bent knee and lower yourself down to tap the top of a cone.

Return to the original position and repeat touching a different cone until you have touched all 5 cones. Then repeat.

Use your opposing arm and leg for balance.

RHOMBERG STANCE - EYES CLOSED:

Stand tall and with feet together next to a table or other sturdy object. With feet together and arms crossed over your chest, hold and balance in this position...then, close your eyes. Try and hold this position with eyes closed as best you can.

If you lose your balance, you can use one or more strategies to help:

Open your eyes

Take a step

Unfold your arms and raise them to the sides

Grab onto something for support

RHOMBERG STANCE - SINGLE LEG - EYES CLOSED - SLS:

Cross your arms over your chest and then stand on one leg. Perform this next to a table or other sturdy object. Hold your balance in this position...then, close your eyes. Try and hold this position with eyes closed as best you can.

If you lose your balance, you can use one or more strategies to help:

Open your eyes

Touch your toes down

Take a step

Unfold your arms and raise them to the sides

Grab onto something for support

Allowing Your Ankle Bones and Tissues to Heal

At the end of the day, we want to heal well and prevent future injuries. These recommendations are a good starting point for doing just that. If at any point, you feel that you are not recovering properly, reach out to your local physical therapist or your primary care provider to receive further assessment and recommendations.
If you’d like to check out the video associated with this blog post, click the link here or on the video below!