Aubrey Bailey, PT, DPT, CHT  is a physical therapist with over 20 years of experience in a variety of healthcare settings.

Oluseun Olufade, MD, is a board-certified orthopedist. He teaches as an Assistant Professor of Orthopedics at Emory School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia.

Ankle sprains occur when the ligaments that connect bone to bone are stretched too far, causing inflammation and sometimes tears. These injuries most commonly affect the ligaments on the outside of the ankle when a person's foot rolls too far inward. This injury is called a "lateral ankle sprain." This can happen while walking on uneven surfaces, stepping off a curb, playing sports, or during a fall.

This article discusses instructions for wrapping a sprained ankle, other treatments for this injury, and when to see a doctor.

The main function of your ligaments is to keep your joints stable. Immediately after injury, your ankle is less stable, and you are at a high risk of spraining it again. Wrapping a sprained ankle provides support and helps decrease swelling while your ligaments heal.

Wrapping your ankle is especially important if your leg will be in a "dependent" position during the day—hanging down to the ground—where gravity can cause swelling to get worse.

Wash and thoroughly (but gently) dry your foot and ankle prior to wrapping. Position your ankle at a 90-degree angle.

Swelling tends to be worst around the outer ankle bone when you have an ankle sprain. If you have some felt, cut several layers (about 1/2 inch thick) into a "U" shape. Place the felt under your ankle bone, and incorporate it as you wrap your elastic bandage, for extra compression in this area.

Elastic bandages need to provide compression, but wrapping too tightly can cause more damage. These signs can indicate that your wrap needs to be loosened:

Kinesiology tape, or kinesiotape, is a flexible, adhesive tape that can be applied to the skin to provide support to an injured area. Kinesiotape provides stability without limiting your ankle's ability to move; therefore, this treatment should not be used if your injury requires immobilization.

It can take practice to properly apply kinesiotape, and recommended placement of the tape depends on your specific type of ankle sprain. For best results, consult a physical therapist for instructions.

Here are the basic steps for applying kinesiotape for a lateral ankle sprain:

Ankle braces can also be used for support while you're recovering from an ankle sprain. There are a variety of types to choose from:

In general, you should wrap your injured ankle for several days or up to a week after injury, to help manage swelling. Remove the wrap at night and sleep with your ankle elevated on a pillow to help reduce swelling.

A mild ankle sprain can often be managed at home with a few days of rest, compression with an elastic bandage, elevating your leg on a pillow, and applying ice for 15-20 minutes, every couple of hours.

More severe ankle sprains can benefit from physical therapy to improve range of motion and proprioception (your body's ability to move itself), and restore strength after your injury has healed. If your ankle continues to be unstable, or your ligaments are completely torn, surgery might be required. Fortunately, this doesn't occur very often.

If your ankle injury isn't starting to improve with a few days of treatment, it's time to see your healthcare provider. Also, if you can't bear weight on your foot, seek immediate medical attention—you might have additional injuries, such as a broken bone.

Ankle sprain is a common injury that ranges from mild to severe. Swelling caused by this injury can be managed by wrapping your ankle with an elastic bandage. Kinesiotape or ankle braces can also be used to help your ankle be more stable while you are recovering.

While an ankle sprain might not seem like a big deal at first, it can lead to long-term problems, such as limited movement, decreased balance, and weakness. Once you've had an ankle sprain, you're at a much higher risk of having another one. Be patient and allow your ankle to heal fully before resuming your normal activities.

Swelling after ankle sprain is typically worse during the day while your leg is hanging toward the ground. Remove your wrap at night and prop your ankle on a pillow.

The amount of rest needed after a sprained ankle depends on the severity of your injury. A mild sprain might not prevent you from walking—but it will be painful. Using crutches for a few days can help. For more severe injuries, crutches might be required for several weeks.

A sprained ankle causes pain, swelling, and often bruising. You might also have numbness or tingling, and your ankle can feel "weak."

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American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Sprained ankle.

University of Michigan Health. Sprained ankle: using a compression wrap.

Rushing J. Wrapping an ankle with an elastic compression bandage. Nursing. 2009;39(12):12. doi:10.1097/01.NURSE.0000365013.85622.5e

Performance Health Academy. Ankle sprain kinesiology taping technique.

Tran K, Argáez C. External supports for the treatment of ankle sprain: a review of clinical effectiveness. Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health; 2020.

American Academy of Family Physicians. Ankle sprains.

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