Why does a sprained ankle hurt so much?
The pain associated with a sprain is due to inflammation that occurs when ligaments are damaged. During the first 2-3 days, swelling and inflammation play an important role in the body’s ability to “clean up” the injured site and allow healing. However, to decrease pain and speed up the healing process, you should control the amount of swelling as quickly as possible. The amount of pain and swelling you have is a good indication of how severe the injury is. Reoccurring pain (when walking or doing other activities that involve putting weight on the ankle) is due to the injured ligaments. These ligaments are damaged, weak, and sensitive to motion and weight bearing. Let pain be your guide as you put weight on your ankle and gradually increase activities. What should I do about mild to moderate pain? Pain can be classified as mild, moderate, and severe. If daily activities cause mild to moderate pain, you could be causing more damage to the ankle ligaments – which can prolong your recover
