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Ankle Sprain Recovery: Physical Therapy in Brooklyn to Prevent Re-Injury

By Dr. Jack Engelberg, PT, DPT · · 4 min read

Stepping off a curb wrong, landing on someone's foot during a basketball game, or catching your heel in a sidewalk crack, and suddenly your ankle rolls. Ankle sprains are one of the most common musculoskeletal injuries. Many people "walk it off," but sprains that aren't properly rehabilitated often lead to repeat sprains and a feeling that the ankle is never quite the same. Physical therapy helps you recover fully and lowers the chance of it happening again.

What Is an Ankle Sprain?

A sprain is an injury to a ligament, the strong bands of tissue connecting bone to bone. The most common type is a lateral (inversion) ankle sprain, where the foot rolls inward and the ligaments on the outside of the ankle are stretched or torn.

Less commonly, people sprain the ligaments on the inside of the ankle, or injure the high ankle ligaments that connect the two lower leg bones. High ankle sprains usually take longer to recover.

Sprain Grades

  • Grade 1 (mild): Ligament fibers are stretched with minimal tearing. Mild swelling and tenderness.
  • Grade 2 (moderate): Partial tearing. More swelling, bruising and difficulty walking.
  • Grade 3 (severe): Complete tear. Significant swelling, bruising, instability and trouble bearing weight.

Common Symptoms

  • Pain on the outside (or inside) of the ankle
  • Swelling and bruising
  • Difficulty walking or bearing weight
  • Stiffness
  • A feeling of instability or the ankle giving way

Do I Need an X-Ray?

Not every ankle injury needs imaging. Physicians commonly use guidelines known as the Ottawa Ankle Rules, which look at tenderness over specific bony spots and whether you can take four steps, to decide whether an X-ray is needed to rule out a fracture. If you can't bear weight or have significant bony tenderness, get evaluated by a physician or urgent care.

How Physical Therapy Helps

Research suggests that exercise-based rehab, especially balance training, reduces the risk of re-spraining an ankle. Lingering problems after a sprain are common, and many people develop chronic ankle instability after repeated sprains, so getting the rehab right the first time matters.

Evaluation

Your therapist will assess swelling, range of motion, ligament stability, strength, balance and how you walk and hop as you progress, and check for signs of other injuries.

Treatment May Include

  • Early swelling and pain management — compression, elevation and gentle movement
  • Range-of-motion exercises — restoring ankle motion, especially bending the ankle up (dorsiflexion)
  • Manual therapy — joint mobilization to restore normal ankle mechanics
  • Strengthening — ankle, calf and hip muscles
  • Balance and proprioception training — single-leg balance progressing to unstable surfaces and dynamic tasks
  • Sport-specific training — hopping, cutting and agility drills
  • Bracing or taping guidance — for return to sport

What You Can Do at Home

In the first few days:

  • Protect the ankle and use crutches if walking is very painful.
  • Elevate the ankle above heart level when possible.
  • Compress with an elastic wrap to control swelling.
  • Ice for 15 to 20 minutes at a time if it helps with pain.
  • Move gently. Write the alphabet with your toes and bear weight as tolerated. Early, protected movement is generally better than complete immobilization for most sprains.

As it improves:

  • Practice balancing on the injured leg, starting near a counter for safety.
  • Do calf raises and resistance band ankle exercises.
  • Return to sports gradually, and consider a brace or tape for the first several months.

When to See a Physical Therapist

Book an evaluation if:

  • Your ankle is still swollen, stiff or painful after a week or two
  • You can't walk normally
  • You've sprained the same ankle before
  • Your ankle feels unstable or gives way
  • You want to return to sport safely

See a physician or urgent care if you can't bear weight, have pain directly over the ankle or foot bones, notice deformity, numbness or coldness in the foot, or if swelling and pain are severe.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does an ankle sprain take to heal?

Mild sprains may feel better within a couple of weeks, while moderate and severe sprains can take longer. Ligaments keep remodeling for months, which is why balance training continues even after pain is gone.

Should I keep walking on a sprained ankle?

If you can walk with tolerable pain, gentle weight-bearing usually helps recovery. If you can't take a few steps, get it checked.

Why do I keep spraining the same ankle?

After a sprain, balance and muscle reaction time can be reduced. Without targeted rehab, the ankle is more likely to roll again. Balance training addresses this directly. Learn more about balance training.

Ready to get started? Call the Refuah office nearest you

Schedule an evaluation by phone, or book online at refuahpt.com.

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About the author. Dr. Jack Engelberg, PT, DPT is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and owner of Refuah Physical & Occupational Therapy, with offices in Midwood and Boro Park, Brooklyn, and on Staten Island.

Medical disclaimer: This article is for general education only and is not medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Everyone’s situation is different. Talk with your physician or a licensed physical therapist about your symptoms. If you think you have a medical emergency, call 911.

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