Ankle & foot Sports Injury Physiotherapy
Ankle Sprain
- Pain on the outside of the ankle after rolling it
- Swelling and bruising
- Difficulty weight-bearing initially
- A feeling the ankle may give way
Quick answer
An ankle sprain is a tear of the ligaments on the outside of the ankle, usually from rolling the foot inwards. Most settle within two to six weeks, but balance and strength work should continue longer — incomplete rehabilitation is why ankle sprains recur so often.
Typical recovery
2–6 weeks; balance work continues to 12 weeks
A typical range, not a promise — how long it takes depends on how long it has been going on, and on what you do between appointments.
Rolling the ankle inwards stretches or tears the ligaments on the outside. It is one of the most common injuries there is, and also one of the most commonly under-treated — which is why so many people go on to sprain the same ankle repeatedly.
The first few days
Early controlled movement and weight-bearing as comfort allows produce better outcomes than immobilisation. Compression and elevation help swelling. Ice may ease pain in the first day or two but is not essential.
The part that gets skipped
After a sprain, the ankle's position sense — its ability to know where it is without looking — is disrupted. That is what causes recurrent sprains, not ligament laxity alone. Restoring it requires deliberate balance training, and it is almost always the part people stop before completing.
How physiotherapy helps
- Restoring ankle movement, especially bringing the shin forward over the foot, which is commonly lost and limits squatting and stairs
- Progressive strengthening of the muscles on the outside of the ankle
- Balance and proprioception training — single-leg work progressed onto unstable surfaces
- Graded return to running, cutting and jumping
- Taping or bracing for early return to sport
How long it takes
A mild sprain settles in two to three weeks, a moderate one in four to six. Balance and strength work should continue for around twelve weeks, well past the point it stops hurting.
When imaging is needed
An x-ray is warranted if you could not bear weight immediately after the injury and still cannot take four steps, or if there is bone tenderness at specific points around the ankle. Persistent pain beyond six weeks should be reassessed.
Medically reviewed by Nasir Mughees, BPT, MPT, Orthopaedic Physiotherapy · Last reviewed September 2026