Spraining an ankle is a common injury that causes ankle pain, but you may not be aware of just how common it is. An article published by Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) claims there are about 1 million ankle injuries every year. Of these injuries, the article reports that 85% of them are ankle sprains. If you’re dealing with this common injury, you may be wondering how long it will take for your ankle sprain to heal.
Average ankle sprain healing time
On average, ankle sprains tend to take between four to six weeks to heal. However, your sprain could take less time to heal, or it could require more time to heal. What commonly determines the length of healing time your ankle needs is the severity of the injury, and the severity of your injury will fall into one of three categories.
Grade 1 ankle sprains take less time to heal
Ankle sprains are typically caused by a twisting or rolling of your foot, and such motions tend to occur when exercising or playing sports. When the ankle ligament has only been slightly overstretched, you have what’s known as a grade 1 sprain. This level of sprain tends to heal in less time than the average, and it may heal in as little as five days. However, it can take up to two weeks for some people to recover from a grade 1 sprain.
More healing time is necessary for grade 2 ankle sprains
Grade 2 ankle sprains are those in which your ankle ligament has been partially torn. This type of sprain can lead to symptoms of bruising and difficulty walking, and it will typically take about four to six weeks for a grade 2 sprain to heal.
Grade 3 ankle sprains take the longest to heal
If you have a grade 3 ankle sprain, it may take your ankle much longer than the average time to heal. This is because this level of sprain involves the complete tearing of the ligament in your ankle. For this reason, the damage to your ankle may take anywhere from two to three months to completely heal.
Excel Sports & Physical Therapy can help speed up the healing of your ankle sprain
Although your ankle will need some time to rest after it’s sprained, physical therapy can help reduce your healing time after this rest period has passed. In fact, this is just one of the benefits you may get from physical therapy at Excel Sports & Physical Therapy. Our treatment plans are designed to target the specific issues your ankle sprain has caused, and this can lead to benefits such as:
- Decreased pain
- Increased flexibility
- Improved mobility
Our plan can even be designed to help reduce the risk of injuring your ankle in the future.
Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an appointment.
Our Locations
FAQ
Conditions Library
