How to Rehab a Sprained Ankle
See your doctor to evaluate your ankle injury., Take over-the-counter pain medication., Use assistive devices., Ice and elevate your ankle., Work with a physical therapist.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: See your doctor to evaluate your ankle injury.
Sprained ankles can often be treated at home.
However, see your doctor to have your ankle injury evaluated to make sure there are no severe problems like broken bones.
Your doctor will also advise you on how to take care of your ankle at home.Ask your doctor, “When can I start to rehabilitate my ankle?” and “When can I go back to my normal activities?” It’s important not to rush this to avoid long-term injury. -
Step 2: Take over-the-counter pain medication.
Your sprained ankle will probably be weak and painful for a little while.
Before you can rehab your ankle to strengthen it, you have to let it rest and heal a bit.
Alleviate pain with OTC pain medicine from your local pharmacy or drug store, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB), naproxen (Aleve), or acetaminophen (Tylenol).Ask your doctor or pharmacist which medicine is right for you, especially if you have any liver or kidney problems. , Allow your healing ankle to rest.
Relax as much as possible.
When moving around, use crutches to keep weight off of your ankle.
Or, if your doctor recommends it, use a removable plastic splint to stabilize your ankle while walking.Your doctor will suggest the best device to rest your ankle, and will probably provide the device to you. , The swelling and inflammation in your injured ankle have to subside before you can start to rehab it.
Whenever possible, sit with your injured ankle propped up on pillows and elevated to a level above your heart.
Put an ice pack on your injury for 20 minutes, several times per day.
These actions will improve pain, swelling, and inflammation and let you get to rehab sooner.Wrap an ice pack in a towel, don’t put it directly on your skin. , Once the swelling goes down and your doctor recommends it, start working with a physical therapist.
They can teach you exercises to improve the strength, stability, balance, and flexibility of your ankle.
Ask your doctor for a referral.A physical therapist will evaluate your injury to determine the most beneficial exercises for you.
They will then teach you how to do these exercises so that you can do them at home.
Physical therapy can reduce your chance of injuring your ankle again. -
Step 3: Use assistive devices.
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Step 4: Ice and elevate your ankle.
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Step 5: Work with a physical therapist.
Detailed Guide
Sprained ankles can often be treated at home.
However, see your doctor to have your ankle injury evaluated to make sure there are no severe problems like broken bones.
Your doctor will also advise you on how to take care of your ankle at home.Ask your doctor, “When can I start to rehabilitate my ankle?” and “When can I go back to my normal activities?” It’s important not to rush this to avoid long-term injury.
Your sprained ankle will probably be weak and painful for a little while.
Before you can rehab your ankle to strengthen it, you have to let it rest and heal a bit.
Alleviate pain with OTC pain medicine from your local pharmacy or drug store, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB), naproxen (Aleve), or acetaminophen (Tylenol).Ask your doctor or pharmacist which medicine is right for you, especially if you have any liver or kidney problems. , Allow your healing ankle to rest.
Relax as much as possible.
When moving around, use crutches to keep weight off of your ankle.
Or, if your doctor recommends it, use a removable plastic splint to stabilize your ankle while walking.Your doctor will suggest the best device to rest your ankle, and will probably provide the device to you. , The swelling and inflammation in your injured ankle have to subside before you can start to rehab it.
Whenever possible, sit with your injured ankle propped up on pillows and elevated to a level above your heart.
Put an ice pack on your injury for 20 minutes, several times per day.
These actions will improve pain, swelling, and inflammation and let you get to rehab sooner.Wrap an ice pack in a towel, don’t put it directly on your skin. , Once the swelling goes down and your doctor recommends it, start working with a physical therapist.
They can teach you exercises to improve the strength, stability, balance, and flexibility of your ankle.
Ask your doctor for a referral.A physical therapist will evaluate your injury to determine the most beneficial exercises for you.
They will then teach you how to do these exercises so that you can do them at home.
Physical therapy can reduce your chance of injuring your ankle again.
About the Author
Roy King
A seasoned expert in education and learning, Roy King combines 5 years of experience with a passion for teaching. Roy's guides are known for their clarity and practical value.
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