Healing a Sprained Foot

Table of Contents
View All
Table of Contents

A sprained foot happens when the ligaments that connect your foot bones stretch or tear. This injury often occurs during sports activities when the foot is planted on the ground but the body twists. Sprains range in severity and are treated based on the extent of tissue damage.

This article discusses a sprained foot—symptoms of the injury, treatment options, recovery times, and how to continue your daily activities while you heal.

A healthcare provider holding leg and foot of patient with a bandage around his ankle.

aldomurillo / Getty Images

Do I Have a Sprained Foot?

Foot sprains often occur with other injuries, such as an inversion ankle sprain—commonly described as rolling your ankle. Symptoms of a sprained foot can include:

  • Pain in the middle of your foot
  • Swelling
  • Redness
  • Bruising
  • Difficulty bearing weight on your foot

If you suffered a severe ligament sprain, you may have felt a "snap" or heard an audible "pop" when the ligament tore.

Foot sprains vary in severity and are categorized (graded) based on the amount of ligament damage, as follows:

  • Grade 1 (mild): The ligament has been stretched, and some fibers have been damaged.
  • Grade 2 (moderate): The ligament is partially torn, and the joints are relatively unstable.
  • Grade 3 (severe): The ligament is completely torn, and the foot is unstable.

Recovery Time for a Sprained Foot

Recovery time for a sprained foot depends on the injury's severity and the damaged structures.

General time frames are:

  • Grade 1: One to three weeks
  • Grade 2: Three to six weeks
  • Grade 3: Several months

Foot ligament sprains that are severe enough to require surgery can take six months to a year to fully recover. In some cases, people still experience pain and a limited range of motion years later.

Do I Need to See a Healthcare Provider for a Sprained Foot?

Foot ligament sprains can happen alongside other injuries, including tendon strains and broken bones. Unless there's an obvious deformity, it can be challenging to identify the exact injured structures on your own. If you can't put weight on your foot, see a healthcare provider at a facility where you can get an X-ray (such as urgent care).

Sprained Foot Treatment to Heal the Injury

Treatment after a foot sprain should begin with what's known as the RICE protocol, which stands for:

  • Rest: Avoid activities that worsen your pain. This might mean you must avoid putting weight on your foot and use crutches to walk.
  • Ice: Apply ice to your foot for about 20 minutes several times daily. Place a towel or cloth between your skin and the ice pack to help prevent ice burn.
  • Compression: Wrap your foot with an elastic bandage to support the injured ligaments and reduce swelling. Be sure you can fit two fingertips between the bandage and your skin to ensure the wrap is not too tight.
  • Elevation: Prop your foot above the level of your heart, if possible, to help reduce swelling.

You can start doing range-of-motion exercises within 48 to 72 hours after a mild sprain, with additional strengthening exercises beginning within one to two weeks.

You may benefit from physical therapy if you have a more severe foot sprain. Interventions can include:

Daily Activity and Walking With a Sprained Foot

Weight-bearing is often limited during the healing process after a foot sprain. As the injury heals, you can walk using a controlled ankle movement (CAM) walker (commonly called a boot) or a post-op shoe to restrict motion and allow for easier weight-bearing.

Using crutches can help you gradually increase the amount of weight you can put on your foot. However, walking longer distances with crutches can be difficult or even painful. In those situations, a knee scooter or wheelchair can be helpful.

Sprained Foot Still Hurts

See a healthcare provider if your sprained foot isn't improving or the pain prevents you from returning to your typical activities.

When a foot sprain occurs with another injury—such as an ankle sprain—your foot injury might not have been immediately apparent or could have been overlooked at the time of diagnosis.

In addition to pain, unhealed ligaments can give the sensation that your foot will "give out" when you step on it. This instability can affect the way you walk, leading to long-term problems.

Treatment for foot instability can include braces or orthotics or, in some cases, surgery. If you have a sprained foot that still hurts, a healthcare provider may recommend imaging, such as computed tomography (CT) scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), to look for additional soft tissue damage.

Summary

A sprained foot occurs when ligaments that attach bone to bone are damaged. These injuries often occur with other injuries, such as a sprained ankle. Foot sprains vary in severity and are graded to match the amount of ligament damage.

Treatment for a sprained foot includes home remedies to decrease swelling and pain, assistive devices to decrease pressure on the foot as it heals, physical therapy, and surgery in severe cases.

6 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. National Library of Medicine. Foot sprain—aftercare.

  2. Fraser JJ, Feger MA, Hertel J. Clinical commentary on midfoot and forefoot involvement in lateral ankle sprains and chronic ankle instability. Part 2: clinical considerationsInt J Sports Phys Ther. 2016;11(7):1191-1203.

  3. Moracia-Ochagavía I, Rodríguez-Merchán EC. Lisfranc fracture-dislocations: current managementEFORT Open Rev. 2019;4(7):430-444. doi:10.1302%2F2058-5241.4.180076

  4. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Sprains, strains and other soft-tissue injuries.

  5. Harvard Health Publishing. Recovering from an ankle sprain.

  6. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Lisfranc (midfoot) injury.

By Aubrey Bailey, PT, DPT, CHT
Aubrey Bailey is a physical therapist and professor of anatomy and physiology with over a decade of experience providing in-person and online education for medical personnel and the general public.