What to do when you've rolled your ankle: the first 48 hours
A misstep, a twist, a stumble. Suddenly you're faced with a swollen, bruised ankle. We've all heard about RICE, but the evidence has moved on, and so has best practice.
Step 1: Is it a sprain, or something more serious?
If you can't bear any weight, there's visible deformity, or there's pain to touch at the bones, it's worth getting an x-ray to rule out a fracture. You can organise this through a GP or physio appointment, or by seeking an imaging referral.
Step 2: Forget RICE, think PEACE & LOVE
Prolonged rest can actually delay recovery in most situations. Follow the PEACE & LOVE framework to optimise your acute healing phase.
PEACE (the first few days):
Protect: limit painful movements for 1 to 3 days to reduce further injury
Elevate: where possible, keep the ankle above heart level to help manage swelling
Avoid anti-inflammatories: early inflammation is a key part of the healing process, so check with your GP or pharmacist before reaching for anti-inflammatory medication
Compress: use a bandage or sleeve to help manage swelling
Educate: avoid unnecessary passive treatments, and listen to your body
LOVE (as healing progresses):
Load: gradually return to movement as pain allows
Optimism: positive vibes genuinely help recovery, seriously
Vascularisation: pain-free cardiovascular exercise, like walking or swimming, can help improve circulation
Exercise: targeted rehabilitation to restore strength and proprioception, and reduce your risk of re-injury (that's where jem physio comes in)
A question I always get: should I ice it? You can, for some pain relief, but don't expect it to be a miracle cure. Sorry.
A final takeaway
Protect the area early, skip the prolonged icing and immobilisation, and get moving in some way as soon as you're able to.
If in doubt, book in and check it out
Ankle sprains are one of the most commonly re-injured joints, but this can often be avoided with proper assessment and targeted rehabilitation.
If you need a little more motivation, check out this Instagram post on recurrent ankle sprains.
You can book online and we'll take it from there.
This article is for general education only and is not a substitute for personalised medical advice.