Ankle sprains are one of the most common types of foot injuries suffered by athletes and non-athletes every single day. Tens of thousands of people sprain their ankle every day, so while ankle sprains may seem a bit normalized, not every ankle sprain is normal. A basic ankle sprain will typically heal well when the right treatment protocols are followed, whereas an unnatural sprain may require expert intervention in order to achieve the best results.
That leads us to the question, what is normal and what’s not normal when it comes to ankle sprains? We answer that question and more in today’s blog.
What’s Normal After An Ankle Sprain?
Even though the following symptoms and experiences may be normal or common after an ankle sprain, it’s important to remember that developing normal symptoms doesn’t mean you can just ignore the injury. Even mild ankle sprains require targeted treatment. A poorly managed mild ankle sprain can end up worse than a more severe sprain that is carefully treated, so don’t assume that you can just walk off an ankle sprain with any of these normal occurrences:
- Minor or mild pain or discomfort that fades over over the first 24-48 hours, even if it doesn’t fully alleviate during that time.
- Minor swelling.
- Minor discoloration.
- You can still bear weight on the ankle (again, this doesn’t mean you should just continue to walk on it).
- Minor range of motion restrictions.
These symptoms are normal following a minor or mild ankle sprain, but as we mentioned, that doesn’t mean you should keep running on the ankle or try to power through any discomfort. Pull back on physical activity, practice RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation), do some physical therapy exercises to strengthen the ligaments and then gradually build back up to full participation in activities.
What’s Not Normal After An Ankle Sprain?
You can probably figure out what’s not normal after an ankle sprain simply by seeing if you’re dealing with any symptoms not expressly listed in the normal column, but we’ll lay out a list to make it even clearer. If you’re dealing with any of these issues following an ankle sprain, know that this isn’t normal and you’ll want to set up an appointment with a foot or ankle specialist or another care provider.
- Severe pain or discomfort.
- Pain that remains constant or worsens over the first 48 hours.
- Major swelling.
- Major discoloration.
- Numbness or a loss of sensation in the foot.
- Inability to bear any weight on the foot.
- Significant flexibility problems.
- Significant temperature changes.
- Exposed bone.
- Any concerning symptoms.