With common ankle sprains “low ankle sprains” the ligaments that are most often injured are the ones on the outside of the ankle. These help to connect the fibula to the foot. These ligaments are injured when someone “rolls” their ankle over. Generally, recovery occurs over a period of 4 to 6 weeks. Most of us have sprained our ankle in this manner and as the swelling goes away, so does the pain. This isn’t to say that these ankle sprains aren’t serious, but in the majority of instances they resolve uneventfully – or at least we feel that they have.
In the high ankle sprain, there are several structures potentially damaged. These include ligaments that connect the tibia to the fibula known as the tibfib ligaments, as well as a tissue called the interosseous membrane. The severity of this injury often depends on how many of these structures are damaged. The recovery time frame varies from 8 weeks to 6 months and this is why the high ankle sprain is so dreaded.