Ankle Sprains

What is an ankle sprain?

An ankle sprain occurs when the ligaments supporting your ankle are overloaded and injured. Most ankle sprains involve the lateral (outside) ankle ligaments.

While many ankle sprains improve with time, poorly rehabilitated sprains can lead to ongoing instability, weakness, reduced confidence, recurrent injuries, and long-term joint problems.

Research suggests that many people continue to experience symptoms long after their initial injury, particularly when strength, balance, and movement control are not fully restored.

Symptoms

• Pain or tenderness around the ankle
• Swelling and bruising
• Difficulty walking or bearing weight
• Reduced ankle movement
• Instability or a feeling of the ankle "giving way"
• Pain during sport, walking, or on uneven ground

Causes

Ankle sprains commonly occur during sport, when walking on uneven ground, when stepping awkwardly, or when landing from a jump.

They may also occur more easily in people with:

• A history of ankle injuries
• Reduced balance
• Poor proprioception
• Limited ankle mobility
• Weakness in the foot and lower limb
• Altered lower-limb biomechanics

Because your feet form the foundation of movement, the way your feet and lower limbs function can influence ankle stability, loading, and injury risk.

When to see a podiatrist

You should consider an assessment if:

• You are unable to comfortably bear weight
• Swelling or bruising is significant
• Your ankle feels unstable
• You have repeated ankle sprains
• Your symptoms are not improving over the first few days
• You are unsure whether imaging is needed

Early assessment and rehabilitation can help reduce the risk of chronic instability and future re-injury.

As ACC-registered practitioners, we can also help assess your injury and, where appropriate, register an ACC claim.

How we treat ankle sprains

At Masterton Foot Clinic, our Proven Process combines the latest evidence with extensive clinical experience.

Our focus is not only on reducing pain and swelling but also on restoring strength, balance, mobility, confidence, and long-term ankle stability.

We begin by assessing the severity of your injury and screening for conditions that may require additional investigation, including fractures, syndesmosis ("high ankle") injuries, tendon injuries, and other causes of persistent ankle pain.

Treatment is then tailored to your injury, goals, lifestyle, work demands, and sporting activities.

Depending on your presentation, treatment may include:

• Functional rehabilitation and strengthening
• Balance and proprioception training
• Ankle bracing or taping
• EXO-L ankle bracing where appropriate
• Foot Mobilisation Therapy (FMT)
• Footwear advice
• Orthotics where appropriate
• Load management strategies
• Graded return-to-sport planning
• Prevention strategies to reduce recurrence

Our goal is not simply to help your ankle heal, but to help it function confidently and reliably long after the injury has settled.