Ankle Sprain

Overview

An ankle sprain is an injury to the ligaments that stabilize the ankle joint, occurring when the foot twists or rolls beyond its normal range and overstretches or tears these connective tissues. It is one of the most common musculoskeletal injuries, frequently arising during sports, running, or even ordinary walking on uneven ground. The most common type is the inversion sprain, in which the foot turns inward and the ligaments on the outer side of the ankle are damaged. Typical symptoms include pain, swelling, bruising, tenderness, and a feeling of instability, with severity ranging from mild overstretching to complete ligament rupture. Treatment generally follows principles of rest, ice, compression, and elevation, along with progressive rehabilitation to restore strength, balance, and joint stability and to reduce the risk of recurrence, since repeated sprains can lead to chronic ankle instability. Research within Sports and Exercise Medicine relevant to this topic includes a study presenting a functional approach, from the pelvis to the foot, to preventing ankle sprains in athletes, which emphasizes movement patterns and conditioning strategies to reduce injury risk. This page gathers peer-reviewed, open-access research relevant to ankle sprains, their prevention, and rehabilitation in sport and exercise settings.

Research published in this journal

1 peer-reviewed article, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.

This page summarises published research for orientation; it is not medical or professional advice.

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