“How long should I rest a sprained ankle?”

Depends on which ankle ligaments are sprained and how badly. A severe ankle sprain is as bad as a fracture and may need to be rested for 6 weeks. One week may be enough for a mild sprain.

I would rest your ankle until the swelling goes down and you feel comfortable putting pressure on it. If there is bruising, then I would recommend being evaluated by your local podiatrist to make sure it isnt more than a sprained ankle.

Depends on how severe the grade of the sprain is depending between 2-8 weeks

2-4 weeks

Hi! Ligaments take 4-6 weeks to heal. It is always best to have an evaluation by a podiatrist.

Over night.
Longer than that without professional attention and care may be a big mistake.

The answer is it depends on the type of sprain, extend of the sprain, type of pain and symptoms. please consult a doctor on this.

Hello, Thank you for your question. We you have to evaluate you and take foot x-rays if needed. Please call our office 973-817-9577 or on our portal drtotten.com for an appointment.
Thank you

Return to play is carefully determined by the Foot and Ankle Specialist based on the specifics of your sport or activity. Physical therapy is highly necessary for a full recovery and to minimize the recurrence of injury secondary to ankle instability. A gradual increase in activity is encouraged, usually at 10% increments per week. Low impact exercise usually begins once the ligaments appear clinically healed and proprioception is restored to the ankle joint. Sport specific rehabilitation can expedite the recovery of the patient and potentially lead to a faster return to play. Many patients and athletes may need an Ankle brace for several months after return to play is initiated.

Immediate care is necessary to prevent any long-term problems.

Mild injuries associated with minimal swelling may be treated with rest, ice, elevation and an ankle brace. 2-4 weeks for full recovery is typical.

Moderate injuries in which a partial tear has occurred may necessitate immobilization for 2-6 weeks in a removable boot or hard cast.

Severe injuries need to be immobilized in a hard fiberglass cast, or removable boot and brace combination, for 4-6 weeks to allow the ligaments to heal properly. Weight bearing is usually allowed. Sometimes these can take several months to fully recover depending on severity of injury.

Anti-inflammatories such as advil, ibuprofen, aleve, motrin or naprosyn should ALWAYS BE AVOIDED in the first 5-7 days of injury. Ligaments heal with accumulation of growth factors and scarring; these medications lessen inflammation which essentially reduces scarring. This is NOT a good thing to do. Acetominophen, Tylenol, is preferable for pain management, in addition to the Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation protocols.

Physical therapy following bracing or cast removal is necessary to improve muscle strength, ankle stability, joint proprioception and to restore complete ankle range of motion. If left untreated, chronic instability commonly develops. Recurring twisting injuries then occur with minimal stress. This will require chronic use of an ankle brace and physical therapy. Prolotherapy can sometimes be performed to cause inflammation in an attempt to restore or increase stability. This is a series of weekly injections into the ankle ligaments, ultrasound guided with an irritant solution of Dextrose and Lidocaine (sugar water). Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) injections may provide a stimulus to healing If there is chronic instability, surgery would be necessary to surgically reconstruct the ligaments in the ankle and allow a full return to activity. In such cases, the prognosis is excellent.

This will depend on the severity of the injury. I recommend you make an appointment with a foot and ankle specialist (podiatrist) for diagnosis and treatment options.

That is fully dependent on your symptomoloby.