What is an ankle sprain?

Ankle sprains occur when ligaments are stretched and/or torn. Ligaments are important in holding two bones together to ensure stability. When we roll or twist our ankle, these ligaments are challenged beyond their normal limits and ultimately causing us pain. In the first 24-72 hours of a sprain, your ankle will be swollen, red, and warm to touch. It may also be difficult to weight-bear or walk without pain. At this point, it is important to protect your ankle to prevent worsening injuries.

Ankle Sprains Burnaby

Types of ankle sprains

  • Inversion – Most common ankle sprain
    • Rolling ankle inwards
    • The anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL) found on the outside of your ankle is injured
  • Medial – Rare
    • Rolling ankle outwards
    • The deltoid ligament found on the inside of your ankle is injured
  • High Ankle Sprain
    • The syndesmosis ligament between your two lower leg bones above your ankle is injured

What are the different ankle sprain grades?

  • Grade I (mild): ligament stretched with possible small tears (<50%)
  • Grade II (moderate): larger ligament tear (50-90%) usually accompanied with bruising
  • Grade III (severe): complete ligament tear (>90%) usually has a lack of function and severe bruising

You don’t have to live with a chronic ankle sprain injuries!

Ankle sprains are such a common occurrence and you wouldn’t believe how many people come into the clinic with long standing issues. There are solutions and often times it requires some rehab to restore the motion and control to the ankle after injury.

Ankle sprain rehabilitation to prevent chronic ankle instability

  • Manual therapy to restore ankle range of motion
  • Strengthen weak muscles and stretch tight muscles
  • Retrain ankle proprioception
  • Dynamic exercises to mimic everyday activities

With our comprehensive evaluation, precise treatments, specific soft tissue releases and tailored one on one exercises, let us help you get back to the activities you love without that nagging ankle injury on your mind.  

Written by: Einer Lim, Registered Massage Therapist, Vancouver and Burnaby

With an integrated team of Chiropractors, Physiotherapists, Registered Massage Therapists, Acupuncturists and Kinesiologists, we have you covered for your ankle-related problems.

We help individuals get rid of their ankle injuries with chiropractic adjustments, soft tissue massage and mobilization, fascial manipulation, cupping techniques, instrument assisted techniques, and most importantly, tailored exercises. These strategies will alleviate and eliminate ankle pain and get you back to your goals! At your first visit, your practitioner will check the muscles around your ankle. If you have swelling and lack of range in your ankle, it is likely that you have an ankle sprain; nevertheless, we always require a comprehensive examination to see if you do. We may use manipulation and end-range loading techniques to get you feeling like yourself again as soon as possible.

A combination of different treatments can include:
● Soft tissue manipulation to address muscle tightness and trigger points
● Stretching and exercise to manage between treatments
● Chiropractic adjustments to help with stiff joints and lack of range
● Acupuncture and massage therapy to decrease stress in the ankle area

If your condition does require further testing or treatment, we can refer you to one of the trusted specialists that we have in our network.