{"id":3899,"date":"2026-02-01T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-02-01T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/therapeiafisioterapia.com\/?p=3899"},"modified":"2026-11-12T23:23:15","modified_gmt":"2026-11-12T21:23:15","slug":"ankle-sprain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/therapeiafisioterapia.com\/en\/2026\/02\/injuries-and-rehabilitation\/ankle-sprain\/","title":{"rendered":"Ankle sprain: what to do in the first 48 hours and how to recover"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A bad step off a kerb, a jump on the padel court or a misstep on the pitch: that is how most <strong>ankle sprains<\/strong> start. It is the most common sports injury and, although it is often played down, poor recovery is the main reason it happens again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What an ankle sprain is<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A sprain is an injury to the ligaments that stabilise a joint. In the ankle the most common mechanism is inversion: the foot rolls inwards and the ligaments on the outside are damaged, especially the anterior talofibular ligament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sprains are graded by severity:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Grade I:<\/strong> the ligament is stretched, with mild pain and swelling.<\/li>\n\n\n<li><strong>Grade II:<\/strong> partial tear, with obvious swelling and bruising and difficulty bearing weight.<\/li>\n\n\n<li><strong>Grade III:<\/strong> complete tear, with major swelling and instability.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What to do in the first 48 hours<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Protect the ankle<\/strong> and avoid activities that cause sharp pain.<\/li>\n\n\n<li><strong>Elevate the foot<\/strong> above heart level whenever you can.<\/li>\n\n\n<li><strong>Compress<\/strong> with an elastic bandage that is not too tight.<\/li>\n\n\n<li><strong>Bear weight as soon as pain allows.<\/strong> We now know that complete immobilisation slows recovery in most sprains.<\/li>\n\n\n<li><strong>Ice<\/strong> can ease pain, applied for 10 to 15 minutes with a cloth between the ice and the skin.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Go to A&#038;E if you cannot take four steps in a row, if there is very sharp pain when pressing on the bone or if the foot looks deformed, as there may be a fracture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Recovery: beyond the pain going away<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The most common mistake is to consider the sprain healed once the pain goes. Ligaments take weeks to regain their strength and the injury also disrupts proprioception: the ankle&#8217;s ability to &#8220;know&#8221; where it is and react in time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A good physiotherapy programme includes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Restoring mobility, especially ankle dorsiflexion.<\/li>\n\n\n<li>Strengthening the peroneal muscles, the calf and the foot muscles.<\/li>\n\n\n<li>Balance and proprioception exercises, from easier to harder.<\/li>\n\n\n<li>Sport-specific work: jumps, changes of direction and running.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Balance exercises you can start at home<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Stand on the injured leg for 30 seconds, first with support and then without.<\/li>\n\n\n<li>Repeat with your eyes closed once you have good control.<\/li>\n\n\n<li>Progress to unstable surfaces such as a cushion and add arm movements or ball throws.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How long does an ankle sprain take to heal?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A mild sprain may allow a return to activity in two to three weeks; a moderate one in four to six; and a severe one may need three months or more. More important than the calendar is passing strength and balance tests before returning to competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to stop it happening again<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Up to a third of people who sprain their ankle end up with ongoing discomfort or repeat sprains. Keeping up balance exercises two or three times a week after discharge is one of the most effective ways to prevent it. If you play sport, also check our <a href=\"https:\/\/therapeiafisioterapia.com\/en\/2025\/05\/exercise-and-prevention\/injury-prevention\/\">injury prevention<\/a> tips.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ankle sprain rehabilitation in Gines<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you have rolled your ankle or feel it often &#8220;gives way&#8221;, we help you recover fully and return to your sport safely. At <a href=\"\/en\/\">Therape\u00eda Fisioterapia<\/a> we see patients at Avenida de Europa 3G in Gines (Seville), just minutes from Bormujos, Espartinas, Castilleja de la Cuesta, Valencina and the rest of the Aljarafe area. After a full assessment we design a <a href=\"https:\/\/therapeiafisioterapia.com\/en\/services\/physiotherapy\/\">sports physiotherapy<\/a> plan tailored to you. You can meet <a href=\"https:\/\/therapeiafisioterapia.com\/en\/team\/\">our physiotherapy team<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/therapeiafisioterapia.com\/en\/contact\/\">book an appointment<\/a> by calling <a href=\"tel:+34624244420\">+34 624 244 420<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For more information from a reliable source, see MedlinePlus, the U.S. National Library of Medicine health encyclopedia, on <a href=\"https:\/\/medlineplus.gov\/sprainsandstrains.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">sprains and strains<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Frequently asked questions about ankle sprains<\/h2>\n\n\n<div id=\"rank-math-faq\" class=\"rank-math-block\">\n<div class=\"rank-math-list \">\n<div id=\"faq-question-3899-0\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">Is ice or heat better for an ankle sprain?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>In the first few days ice helps control pain. Heat is better for later stages, once swelling has gone down.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-3899-1\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">Should an ankle sprain be immobilised?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>In most mild and moderate sprains, no. Gradual weight-bearing and early movement speed up recovery. Severe sprains may need a brace for a few days.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-3899-2\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">Why do I keep rolling my ankle?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>It is usually due to a previous sprain that did not fully recover, leaving weakness and poor proprioception. It can be corrected with a specific strength and balance programme.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Keep reading on our blog<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/therapeiafisioterapia.com\/en\/2026\/06\/sports-physiotherapy\/padel\/\">Padel injury prevention: what your body really needs<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/therapeiafisioterapia.com\/en\/2025\/05\/exercise-and-prevention\/injury-prevention\/\">Injury prevention: train safely and carefully<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/therapeiafisioterapia.com\/en\/2025\/12\/physiotherapy\/knee-injuries\/\">Knee Injuries: Causes, Prevention, and Recovery<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>An ankle sprain is the most common sports injury. Here is what to do right after rolling your ankle and how to stop it happening again.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1186,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[113,76],"tags":[77,80],"class_list":["post-3899","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-injuries-and-rehabilitation","category-sports-physiotherapy","tag-exercise-therapy","tag-sports-injuries"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/therapeiafisioterapia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3899","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/therapeiafisioterapia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/therapeiafisioterapia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/therapeiafisioterapia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/therapeiafisioterapia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3899"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/therapeiafisioterapia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3899\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4325,"href":"https:\/\/therapeiafisioterapia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3899\/revisions\/4325"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/therapeiafisioterapia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1186"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/therapeiafisioterapia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3899"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/therapeiafisioterapia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3899"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/therapeiafisioterapia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3899"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}