Can I Treat an Ankle Sprain at Home?

An ankle sprain is one of the most common musculoskeletal injuries. It affects athletes, couch potatoes, children, and the elderly. It’s an injury whereby one or more of the ligaments in the ankle are stretched or torn, causing pain, swelling, and difficulty walking.

Some people try to treat it on their own at home rather than seeing a doctor, but is that wise? It depends.

At Chicagoland Foot and Ankle, our board-certified foot and ankle specialists understand that ankle sprains are painful, annoying, and interfere with your ability to perform your daily activities. 

If you’re not in much pain and can bear weight, you might be able to treat it at home, but we believe it’s better to err on the side of caution and make an appointment. Here’s why.

What happens during an ankle sprain?

The most common type of ankle sprain is a lateral ankle sprain. The foot rolls inward, damaging the ligaments of the outer ankle. Doctors rank the severity of the sprain by how much damage is done and how unstable the ankle joint becomes as a result.

Grade 1 sprains

Grade 1 sprains have minimal stretching and no tearing of the tissue. You experience mild pain, swelling, and tenderness, but usually no bruising, joint instability, or difficulty bearing weight. Recovery time is about 1–3 weeks.

As this is a very mild sprain, and if you’re able to bear weight on the foot, you can probably treat this at home, starting with the RICE method: rest, ice, compression, and elevation. 

You can also use over-the-counter pain medications to relieve the discomfort. You should return to pre-injury activities gradually so you don’t cause further damage.

Grade 2 sprains

These sprains include a partial tear of the ligament and cause moderate pain, swelling, and tenderness, with the possibility of bruising and mild-to-moderate joint instability. You experience some loss of range of motion and function of the foot, along with pain with weight- bearing. Recovery takes about 3–6 weeks.

The RICE method isn’t enough to treat this level of injury, so you need to make an appointment to come into one of our offices and have us evaluate it. Treatment includes a walking boot or aircast brace for support for a short time, followed by targeted exercises to restore functionality and range of motion.

Grade 3 sprains

Sprains rated as Grade 3 are a full tear or rupture of the ligament. They come with severe pain, swelling, tenderness, and bruising, as well as ankle instability and the loss of joint function and range of motion. You’re unable to bear weight or walk. Recovery may take up to several months.

Grade 3 sprains may require a cast or cast-brace for 10-14 days, again followed by rehabilitation using targeted exercises to restore functionality and range of motion.

But can I treat it at home?

A lot of people don't seek medical attention for ankle sprains, trying to tough it out. But if the injury causes more than slight pain and swelling, you should see a doctor. 

Without proper treatment and rehabilitation, the ankle may not heal properly, and you could lose both its range of motion and stability, resulting in recurrent sprains, more damage, and more downtime.

If you’ve sprained your ankle, even if it’s a mild sprain, your best bet is to seek medical attention to ensure you heal well. 

To schedule an appointment at Chicagoland Foot and Ankle, call any of our locations (Mount Greenwood and Portage Park areas of Chicago, as well as Orland Park, Bartlett, Niles, and New Lenox, Illinois) to schedule a consultation, or book your appointment online today.