Do you have a grade 1 ankle sprain? Are you wanting more information about what that really means?

1.) Grade I Ankle Sprain

This is the lowest level of ankle sprain. What you will see is that there is:

A.) Slight stretching of the ligament (which means that there is some damage to the fibers of the ligament that is sprained)
B.) There may be some (not much) tenderness and swelling in the ankle joint area.

2.) Treatment Options

After you have injured your ankle, and your physician might tell you about the following:

A.) Weight bearing as tolerated. - Meaning, take it easy and only push your ankle as far as it feels comfortable when walking or even sitting with weight on the joint.
B.) Isometric Exercises. - Full ROM (range of motion) and stretching/strengthening exercises as tolerated.
C.) Ankle Braces: The use of an ankle brace to help prevent further injury, while helping to reduce your pain and increase stability.

3.) Diagnosis

Self diagnosis is never recommended. It is important to seek the attention of your physician to clearly diagnosis what is going on. They might order some x-rays to make sure you do not have any broken bones in the ankle or foot. This is important because a broken bone might have similar symptoms of discomfort and swelling.

4.) Difficulty Walking

After you have sustained an ankle injury, such as a grade I ankle sprain, walking may be difficult because of the swelling and pain that may be present. You may need to consider using crutches to off load the ankle if you have pain in the joint. If the sprain is more mild, then swelling and pain will last approximately two to three days.

5.) Nonsurgical Treatment - Ankle Supports Can Help

Ankles supports come in many different styles and types. Often times these are low profile and can easily fit inside of a shoe. The extra support you get from one of these braces can really help to promote healing because they can at the very least remind you not to make certain movements that will bother you. - Many people with pain will tell us that the instant they put on a well made brace their discomfort will decrease dramatically and they can walk much better again.

* Please remember this is health information. It is important to speak with your physician about health advice regarding your particular ankle sprain.