How Do I Know if I Have a Sprain?
If your ankle hurts enough after an injury that you need to call a doctor, the office staff will probably ask questions over the phone about how you injured it and what it feels like. They may give you advice on treating the injury by yourself.
If your doctor wants you to come in for an office visit, he or she will examine your ankle to see which ligaments have been injured. This involves moving your foot in various ways to check for stability and determine the grade of the sprain. You may also need to get X-rays to see if any bones are broken.
In rare cases, an ankle sprain involves a severe injury to the ligaments or joint and your doctor may order an MRI to evaluate the injury in more detail.
What Causes a Sprained Ankle?
Most ankle sprains happen when people turn or twist too fast and too far, or when the foot rolls onto its side, injuring the ligaments that connect the ankle and leg bones. You don't have to be playing hard to injure an ankle: sprains can happen just from taking an awkward step or tripping on the stairs.
The most common type of sprained ankle is called an inversion sprain, or lateral ligament sprain. With this type of sprain, the ankle turns so the sole of the foot is facing inwards, stretching and possibly damaging the ligaments on the outer part of the ankle