How Long Does it Take to Recover From a High Ankle Sprain?

Ankle sprains are fairly common. But there’s a specific type of ankle sprain that’s more rare and can take longer to heal. It’s called a high ankle sprain. 

No matter what kind of sprain you’ve sustained, Samantha Childers, DPM; Ricky Childers, DPM; and our team at North Central Texas Foot & Ankle can help. As ankle sprain specialists, we work with you to figure out what kind of sprain you’re dealing with. Then, we tailor a treatment plan to support fast healing, with minimal discomfort along the way. 

If you think you might have an ankle sprain, visit us at our offices in Roanoke and Decatur, Texas. 

Understanding high ankle sprains

Most ankle sprains affect the lateral ligaments. When you roll your ankle, for example, it taxes the ligaments that stabilize the outside of the ankle.

A high ankle sprain is different. With these injuries, the affected ligament connects to your tibia or fibula, the bones in your calf. As a result, you don’t feel the sprain in the lower part of your ankle. As the name suggests, you feel the pain from a high ankle sprain higher up your ankle, close to where it meets your calf. 

These types of ankle sprains cause the discomfort you’d expect. You can also look for other symptoms like bruising or swelling in the upper portion of your ankle. 

Usually, high ankle sprains happen during a sport or another athletic endeavor, like skiing. 

Your recovery timeline

While a minor ankle sprain usually heals in a couple of weeks, high ankle sprains generally take longer. Most people need at least six weeks to recover from this kind of injury. In some cases, the injury can drag on for months. 

We’re here to help you shorten your recovery timeline as much as possible. We recommend using the RICE protocol — rest, ice, compression, and elevation — but you don’t have to stop there. Drs. Childers offer a number of ankle sprain treatments that support your healing, including:

• Custom orthotics
• Medical-grade supplements
• Physical therapy
• Prescription medications
• Splints

By stabilizing your ankle while giving your body what it needs to help it heal, we can minimize how long you need to stay off the ankle. While you’ll still likely need at least six weeks for a full recovery, applying treatment along the way can prevent you from having to wait even longer to get back to what you love. And it can help to minimize long-term effects, like stiffness in the affected ankle. 

If you think you might have a high ankle sprain, don’t wait to talk to our team about your treatment options. Call us at North Central Texas Foot & Ankle or request an appointment online today.