Assessment focused on identifying the source of pain, not just the location
Experienced physiotherapists with 10–20+ years in clinical practice
Management of ankle sprains, recurring ankle injuries, tendon pain and ankle stiffness
Chronic tendinopathies through to arthritis changes
Progressive rehabilitation to restore movement and reduce recurrence
A lateral ankle sprain is one of the most common injuries in sprts such as netball, basketball or field sports such as soccer. They range from a low level sprain through to a high level ankle sprain where the ligaments may be completely disrupted or complex in the case of a high ankle sprain where the ligament holding the tibia and fibula together is damaged causing a longer recovery or even surgery.
Ankle pain presents differently from person to person. People often come to our Wynnum clinic unsure whether their ankle needs treatment or whether they should keep waiting for it to settle.
These are some of the common patterns we see:
If any of these sound familiar, a physiotherapy assessment can help clarify what is causing the problem and what needs to be done next.
Ankle pain rarely responds well to guesswork. The right treatment depends on whether your pain is coming from a ligament injury, tendon irritation, joint stiffness, weakness, poor balance, a previous injury, or a combination of factors.
Manual therapy, including joint mobilisation and soft tissue mobilisations, may help improve ankle movement and reduce pain. Strapping or bracing may be required to support unstable joints or to prevent reinjury. Exercises will help aid the recovery.
Exercise rehabilitation is central to most ankle pain treatment. Your program may include calf strengthening, ankle strengthening, balance exercises, mobility drills, walking progressions, running drills or sport-specific control work.
The aim is to rebuild the ankle’s ability to tolerate the loads you need for daily life, work, gym, running or sport.
Balance work is especially important after ankle sprains and recurring ankle injuries. An ankle that has been sprained may lose some of its position sense and control, even after the pain has improved.
Retraining balance and control helps the ankle respond better to uneven ground, quick changes of direction and unexpected movement.
Understanding what is aggravating the ankle is a key part of recovery. This may include changes to walking volume, running load, sport, footwear, work duties, gym exercises or recovery time.
Your physiotherapist will help you work out what to reduce temporarily, what to keep doing, and how to build back up safely.
Dry-needling may be used particulary in chronic ankle sprains when modifying the inflammation may help aid recovery. It can also be used to help release tight ankle muscles.
Shockwave therapy can be used for persistanrt tendon problems are they ankle, particularly when tendon pain has not responded as expected to traditional physiotherapy treatments or load management.
Ankle sprains are common, but they are often under-rehabilitated. Many people rest until the pain settles, then return to walking, sport or exercise before the ankle has regained full strength and control.
This can leave the ankle feeling weak, stiff or unstable. It can also increase the risk of rolling the ankle again.
A structured ankle sprain rehabilitation plan may include:
The aim is not just to get through the first few days after injury. The aim is to restore the ankle well enough that it can handle normal activity again.
You should consider booking a physiotherapy appointment if:
Seek urgent medical care if you have severe pain after an injury, significant swelling or bruising, obvious deformity, numbness, inability to put weight through the foot, or symptoms that are rapidly worsening.
Getting the ankle assessed early often makes recovery more straightforward. It can also reduce the chance of small problems becoming recurring ones.
Occasionally ankle pain can be referred from the lower back to learn more on this click lower back pain treatment.