An ankle sprain is an injury to the ankle caused by the straining and tearing of the ligaments linked to the outside or inside of the ankle. The most common cause is an unintentional foot turn in. The severity of the sprain is determined by the number of ligaments involved. Depending on whether the ligament is strained, partially ripped, or entirely ripped, the discomfort and severity of the problem varies. These sprains are frequent in movements like sprinting, jumping, and landing that demand the entire body weight to be exerted on the ankles during full range motions. Because the lateral ankle ligament is significantly thinner and weaker than the medial ankle ligament, it is usually the one that suffers the greatest damage.
It’s important to note that an ankle sprain and an ankle strain are two distinct conditions. While a sprain just affects the ligaments, an ankle strain causes substantial damage to the muscles and tendons around the damaged area.