An ankle sprain can sound like a minor injury- some may call it “twisted ankle” and for the most part a lot of people don’t pay much mind to it and return to normal activity after a short period of rest and light activity. For a professional football player, it can be serious setback. AJ Brown from the New England Patriots is expected to miss at least 6 weeks with an ankle sprain. So the question you may be asking is, why does an ankle sprain require so much time away from the field?
Something important to consider – there is a difference between a typical ankle sprain and high ankle sprain
A high ankle sprain involves injury to the syndesomsis, which is a ligament that connects the tibia and fibula which help maintain the stability of the ankle joint. The syndesmosis typically is injured during high impact or rotational injuries and can sometimes be associated with more serious injuries like an ankle fracture.
Why is rest so important?
The goal of treatment is to allow the injured ligaments to heal and slowly restore strength and stability.
Treatment of ankle sprains typically include immobilization via a boot or brace, activity modification and physical therapy. Physical therapy and rehabilitation focuses on restoring ankle range of motion, strengthening the muscles, tendons, and ligaments of the ankle and foot. It also helps rebuild strength that may have been lost during the immobilization period.
For someone like AJ Brown, the ankle needs to be strong and stable enough to handle sprinting, jumping, cutting, etc.
What happens if you return too quickly? Returning before you fully recover can increase risk of chronic ankle instability and ankle sprains. With another high impact or rotational injury, the poorly recovered ankle can sustain a more serious injury such as an ankle fracture
That is why allowing an ankle sprain the appropriate time to heal is so important.
A sprained ankle may not look serious, but the right recovery and rest is essential to get back out there and prevent another injury.
