Ankle Sprains What is an ankle sprain? An ankle sprain is a painful, yet all too common condition that is caused by torn ligaments in the ankle, most often on the outside of the ankle. Typically, a sprain occurs after your twist your ankle the wrong way and it begins to swell and hurt afterwards. Most often, an ankle sprain is not a terribly serious injury, but if it goes untreated and occurs over and over, it can eventually lead to some lifelong joint issues. What are the symptoms of an ankle sprain? When you sprain your ankle, you will typically notice immediate swelling and bruising in the injured area. You will also notice sharp jolts of pain when you attempt to touch the bruised part of your foot or twist your foot around. You may also notice some redness and a sensation of warmth in your ankle, which is caused by a sudden rush of blood to the injured spot. How do we treat an ankle sprain? After carefully assessing the extent to which your ankle is injured, we recommend a course of RICE treatment and begin working on strengthening your surrounding leg muscles and improving flexibility through various stretching movements. These exercises are designed to improve your mobility, so you can get around without being waylaid by pain and discomfort.