How To Deal With Ankle Sprains ?

What is an ankle sprain?

An ankle sprain happens when your foot suddenly twists and stretches the strong bands (ligaments) that support your ankle beyond their limit. This usually affects the ligaments on the outer side of the ankle, causing pain, swelling, bruising and difficulty putting weight on the foot. Ankle sprains are extremely common in everyday life and in sports like marathon running, cricket, squash, tennis and dance.​

How does an ankle sprain happen in daily life?

In non‑athletes, ankle sprains often happen during simple day‑to‑day activities. Typical examples include missing a step on the staircase, slipping off the edge of a pavement, walking on uneven ground or stepping into a small pothole or gap. The foot rolls inwards, the ankle rolls outwards, and the ligaments on the outside of the ankle get overstretched or torn.​

Sport‑specific mechanisms of injury

In sport, the same basic twist happens, but often at higher speed and force:

• Marathon runners: Fatigue, uneven roads, potholes and sudden changes in direction at aid stations can cause the foot to roll inwards during landing or push‑off, especially when the runner is tired late in the race.​

• Cricketers: Bowlers and fielders are at risk when sprinting, cutting, turning quickly to chase the ball, or landing awkwardly from a jump or dive; landing on an uneven patch or another player’s foot is a common trigger.​

• Squash, tennis and other racquet sports: Fast side‑steps, sudden stops, split‑steps and landing on an opponent’s or partner’s foot can all cause the ankle to roll sharply inwards. Video studies in court sports show many sprains happen when landing from a jump or changing direction with the foot fixed to the floor.​

• Dancers: Repeated jumps, turns and work on demi‑pointe/pointe put the ankle at risk when landing poorly, losing balance in turnout or rolling over the foot at the end of a jump

  In all of these, the common pattern is a sudden inward twist of the foot with the body weight moving over it too fast for the muscles to protect the ligaments.​

  What is a chronic ankle sprain?

  Sometimes the ankle never fully recovers from the first sprain, or it keeps getting sprained again and again. This is often called a “chronic ankle sprain” or “chronic ankle instability.” It means the ligaments and supporting muscles are no longer giving the joint the firm support and balance it needs, especially during quick or unpredictable movements.​

  Typical symptoms of chronic ankle problems include:

  • Repeated “giving way” or rolling of the ankle on uneven ground or during sport

  • A constant feeling of weakness or wobbliness in the ankle

  • Swelling or ache after walking, running, training or dancing

  • Stiffness or tightness, especially in the morning or after sitting

  • Fear or lack of confidence while running, jumping or changing direction

  Chronic ankle issues do not usually improve with rest alone. Without proper sports physiotherapy and ankle sprain rehab exercises, they can lead to more sprains, early joint wear‑and‑tear and ongoing pain.​

Key sports physiotherapy principles :-

After an ankle sprain, the goal is not to just “rest it” but to protect it briefly, control the swelling, and then start gentle, pain‑free movement as soon as it is safe. This early movement and gradual loading help the ligaments heal stronger and reduce stiffness.

As the pain settles, the focus shifts to building strength, balance and coordination around the ankle, often using a brace or taping for extra support while you move and train. These exercises train the muscles and nerves to react quickly again, which lowers the chance of the ankle rolling over in the future.

Instead of clearing you to play simply after a set number of days, your rehab should follow clear stages, from light everyday activity to full training and competition. At each stage your physiotherapist checks whether your strength, balance, hopping and sport‑specific skills match the other leg, and only then moves you to the next level or back to sport

Sports‑specific biomechanics and pathomechanics

• Marathon runners: Repetitive loading at mid‑stance and push‑off demands optimal dorsiflexion, elastic calf function and dynamic peroneal stability; limited dorsiflexion and poor neuromuscular control increase re‑injury risk, even when gross running gait looks “normal.”frontiersin+1​
• Cricketers: Bowlers and fielders experience high inversion moments during cutting, landing and boundary stops; lateral instability alters kinetic chain alignment, affecting knee, hip and lumbar mechanics during bowling and throwing.pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih+1​
• Squash/tennis/racquet sports: Multi‑directional lunges, split‑steps and rapid deceleration place high demand on frontal‑plane control; impaired proprioception and peroneal latency compromise change‑of‑direction mechanics and increase risk in side‑stepping and cross‑over steps.sciencedirect+1​
• Dancers: Repeated demi‑pointe, jumps and landings require end‑range plantarflexion control; lateral ligament injury disrupts alignment in turnout, landing mechanics and pointe control, increasing risk of chronic instability.pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih+1​

“Treatment is planned according to how new the sprain is and how badly the ligament is damaged, rather than using a ‘one size fits all’ approach.”