Ankle sprains are very common injuries with nearly 27,000 occurring each day!
Most sprains are relatively minor tears in ligaments that attach the outside (lateral) part of the leg to the foot. However, some injuries involve complete disruption of ligaments which can lead to chronic painful instability of the ankle, loss of ability to play active sports and early arthritis of this joint. If you injure your ankle and it starts to swell/bruise and bearing weight causes pain – stay off the leg, ice for 20 minutes and contact your health care professional. If you feel that your ankle is “giving out” as you try to stand on it – a visit to an orthopedic specialist is warranted.