According to the American Medical Association, an ankle sprain is one of the most under treated medical problems of all time.  This is because most people think that the sprain will heal on its own.  Nothing is further from the truth.  Many of my patients need surgery to fix this problem because they did not take care of it properly in the first place.

     So here is how to take care of it from the beginning.  You should use R.I.C.E. therapy.  This is short for Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation. 

     When you sprain your ankle, you need to Rest your ankle until the swelling goes down.  This may take a few days.  You also need to Ice this area for a couple of days.  Compressing the ankle with an ace bandage is very important to immobilize the area.  Finally, Elevating the ankle above your heart level is paramount to enhance the healing process.  In severe cases, the ankle may need to be casted for several weeks.