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Firstly you should take some non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (Ibuprofen or Voltaren) that you are comfortable taking. You should take these at near the maximum allowed dose for 3 – 4 days. For further pain management taking paracetamol as well is a good idea.
Secondly, you should try and put weight on the foot and walk with a normal gait. This allows the calf muscle to squeeze swelling away from the ankle as they are used to move you forward. This can be tricky as it can hurt a bit. Try and keep your pain levels to a moderate amount during this activity and try to do it for a few minutes every hour. If it flares up your pain for more than 10 minutes then wait for a day and re-attempt. Sometimes doing some calf stretches, if pain allows, makes this easier. More calf stretching and more walking with a normal gait as the ankle improves will continue to progress the ankle towards normal.
Ice and/or an ice bath is a handy adjunct to this treatment to help reduce swelling.
Recent evidence suggests that controlled movement, together with ice and mobilization by your skilled physiotherapist can result in an earlier return to normal movement and function.
If there is excessive pain or pain that persists for more than a few days, this may indicate a more serious injury such as a fracture or a high ankle sprain; both of which require medical attention immediately.
Bracing or taping has been shown to assist in the prevention of recurrent ankle sprains. Neither bracing nor taping seems to be the better option, despite personal preferences for one or the other.
