Ankle Injuries and Pain

Ankle sprains are one of the most common injuries in sports, and they come in two types: low ankle sprain and high ankle sprain. Low ankle sprains are more common and often occur when you roll over the lower part of your ankle, turning in your foot. High ankle sprains occur when there is an injury to the large ligament above your ankle that joins together the two bones of your lower leg.

Ankle sprains often lead to symptoms such as:

• Difficulty bearing weight
• Swelling
• Tenderness

Treatment for ankle sprains — which are often graded on severity from grade one to grade three — usually revolves around ways in which we reduce your inflammation and promote healing. Common treatment methods for phase one of healing include:

• Protection – rest followed by gentle motion and use of crutches, if necessary
• Optimal loading – weight-bearing exercises to stimulate healing
• Ice
• Compression – tape or socks/stockings
• Elevation

If you continue to experience pain or have difficulty walking, phase two of the healing journey will include a personalized plan of care from your physical therapist to help with your ankle’s mobility, balance, strength, stability and endurance.

When you experience an ankle fracture (a broken ankle), one or more of the bones that make up the ankle joint are broken. Depending on the severity of your broken ankle, you can experience moderate pain while walking to complete inability to put weight on your ankle.

To determine whether you have a broken ankle, we typically first perform Ottawa ankle rules, a series of guidelines that help us decide if your ankle might be broken. If we suspect a fracture, we will immediately refer you to receive a radiograph to confirm whether you’ve suffered a broken ankle.

Treatment for a broken ankle can vary, depending on the severity of your injury. Our therapist will work with your physician to determine the right time to begin therapy and a specific plan of care to get you back to the things you enjoy.

Stress fractures in the foot are typically caused by overuse and are most common in individuals who run long distances. The most common stress fracture in the foot is called a calcaneal stress fracture or when you break part of your heel bone. Common symptoms of a calcaneal stress fracture include:

• A bruised heel
• Pain that worsens over time and becomes worse when weight-bearing
• Pain when squeezing the heel bone

Treatment for stress fractures in the foot varies depending on the severity of your injury. In most cases, you will need to rest and stay off your feet as much as possible (sometimes wearing a cast). During this time, it’s important to work with your physical therapist to maintain your fitness through non weight-bearing activities such as swimming and cycling.

Your physical therapy team will also help you regain the muscle and flexibility throughout your leg following your period of rest to help get you back to your everyday activities as soon as possible.