Ankle Sprain Diagnosis

An ankle sprain may not require a visit to the doctor. However, you should call your doctor or visit an emergency room if you have:

• Inability to move the ankle without significant pain
• Inability to put any weight on that foot
• Pain over a bony part of your foot or ankle
• Pain that interferes significantly with walking
• Pain not relieved by ice, pain relief medication, and elevation
• Numbness in the leg, foot, or ankle
• Pain that does not improve in 5-7 days
• Uncertainty about the severity of the injury
• Uncertainty about how to care for this injury

The doctor will:

• Ask about your symptoms and how the injury occurred
• Examine your ankle to assess the severity of the injury

Tests may include:

• X-rays -to make sure that no bones are broken
• MRI scan -to see if a ligament has torn completely (rarely needed)

Ankle sprains are graded according to the damage to the ligaments. The more ligaments involved, the more severe the injury.

Grade 1

• Some minor tearing of ligament tissue, but the ankle remains stable

Grade 2

• Partial tearing of ligament tissue
• Mild instability of the joint
• Usually involves damage to two ankle ligaments

Grade 3

• Complete tearing of two or three of the ligaments
• Significant instability of the joint