How do you treat an inverted ankle?
Michael Gray
Updated on April 03, 2026
Home Treatments
- Rest your ankle by not walking on it.
- Ice should be immediately applied to keep the swelling down.
- Compression dressings, bandages or ace-wraps will immobilize and support your injured ankle.
- Elevate your ankle above the level of your heart as often as possible during the first 48 hours.
How long does an inversion ankle sprain take to heal?
Most ankle sprains are mild and only need ice and elevation. Mild sprains typically begin to feel better in a few days to a week and heal by six weeks. More severe ankle sprains could take more than a few weeks or months to fully recover. Severe sprains may cause excruciating pain, crutches may be needed.
What happens when you invert your ankle?
In an inversion injury the ankle tilts toward the inside, meaning the bottom of the foot tilts inward towards the big toe side of the foot. This forces all the weight of your body onto the outside edge of the ankle. As a result, the ligaments on the outside of the ankle are stretched and possibly torn.
What does inversion of ankle mean?
Eversion ankle sprains — occurs when the ankle rolls outward and tears the deltoid ligaments. Inversion ankle sprains — occurs when you twist your foot upward and the ankle rolls inward.
What causes ankle inversion?
If you have suffered an inversion ankle sprain it means you have injured one or more of the three main ligaments on the outside of your ankle; the anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL), the posterior talofibular ligament (PTFL) and the calcaneofibular ligament (CFL).
Why is inversion ankle sprain more common?
Inversion injuries are far more common than eversion injuries due to the relative instability of the lateral joint and weakness of the lateral ligaments compared to the medial ligament.
What are the signs and symptoms of an inversion ankle sprain?
They may include:
- Pain, especially when you bear weight on the affected foot.
- Tenderness when you touch the ankle.
- Swelling.
- Bruising.
- Restricted range of motion.
- Instability in the ankle.
- Popping sensation or sound at the time of injury.
What injuries can occur as a result of an inversion of the ankle?
The lateral ligaments are involved in an inversion ankle sprain and hence most commonly damaged. These ligaments are on the outside of the ankle, which includes the anterior talofibular (ATFL), calcaneofibular (CFL) and posterior talofibular ligaments (PTFL). Injury to the ATFL is the most common.
What muscles are damaged in an inversion ankle sprain?
The ligaments involved in your typical inversion ankle sprain are the anterior talofibular, posterior talofibular, and the calcaneofibular. Typically minor ankle sprains will injure the anterior talofibular ligament where more severe ankle sprains may injure the others.
Why are ankle inversions common?
What 3 ligaments are damaged when the ankle in inverted?
What is a Steiner chain in geometry?
In geometry, a Steiner chain is a set of n circles, all of which are tangent to two given non-intersecting circles (blue and red in Figure 1), where n is finite and each circle in the chain is tangent to the previous and next circles in the chain.
How to treat an inversion sprain of the ankle?
How to Treat an Inversion Sprain of the Ankle: When an injury first occurs, you need to refrain from using the ankle and provide it with the time it needs to heal. Elevate the foot to allow the swelling to reduce. Avoid all sport unless you can comfortable weight bear on the ankle.
How many closed Steiner chains of circles are there?
A fundamental result is Steiner’s porism, which states: If at least one closed Steiner chain of n circles exists for two given circles α and β, then there is an infinite number of closed Steiner chains of n circles; and any circle tangent to α and β in the same way is a member of such a chain.
What happens if you roll your ankle on the outside?
When you roll over the outside of your ankle, the ligaments at the side can be sprained or in severe cases torn. Inversion Sprain Ankle Symptoms When rolling your ankle the first time, you will have sharp pain and will be unable to weight bear on your foot (depending on the severity of the damage).