What happens if you don’t seek therapy for a sprained ankle

front of ankle pain

Have you recently sprained your ankle and are questioning why your doctor is recommending physical therapy? Physical therapists are licensed health care professionals who provide natural treatments for injuries like sprained ankles.

However, you may be wondering if you can get by without physical therapy. If your sprain is very minor, you might be fine after a little rest and some light exercise, but most people with a sprained ankle will need some form of physical therapy to reach their recovery potential.

What happens if you don’t seek therapy for ankle sprains

  • You will deal with a lot of pain — Physical therapists specialize in treatments that improve the strength and flexibility of the muscles around your ankle to help reduce pain. This works by improving your mobility to resist stiffness and by helping to reduce pressure off the recovering parts of the ankle. Without physical therapy, you might deal with pain in the ankle for a long time.
  • You will have long-lasting stiffness — Scar tissue can develop in a sprained ankle, especially if surgery is required to treat it. Scar tissue is tough and thick. It can affect your range of motion if allowed to build up in the ankle. Physical therapy can help prevent the buildup of scar tissue and break down existing formations of scar tissue.
  • Your ankle might heal incorrectly — While recovering from a sprain, your ankle may compensate for the injury by transferring responsibilities for movement and support to other muscles, ligaments and tendons surrounding it. This can lead to an imbalance in the ankle that affects your posture and your ability to walk and run.
  • You might develop chronic inflammation — Without physical therapy, strain, increased pressure, stiffness and scar tissue can cause irritation that leads to inflammation. This inflammation can lead to further problems down the road, such as arthritis. 

Visit Excel Sports & Physical Therapy for sprained ankle treatment

At Excel Sports & Physical Therapy, we’re not into the business of scaring people into treatment. However, the facts remain true that if you don’t seek physical rehabilitation after spraining your ankle, you’ll be in worse shape. Our team is here to help prevent that from happening. Contact our team today for more information about sprained ankle treatment or to schedule an initial appointment.