Ankle pain is something that most people tend to brush off. A sudden twist, a misstep, a moment of imbalance, and we assume it’ll settle on its own. But ankle injuries and ankle pain are common, often underestimated, and can lead to long-term issues if not managed properly. Whether your pain started with a fall, showed up gradually, or keeps returning years after an old sprain, understanding what’s happening can help you take better care of your ankles.

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1. Ankle Injuries Are Extremely Common

Acute ankle sprains are among the most frequently reported musculoskeletal injuries. In the United States alone, over 2 million ankle sprains are treated annually. Those sprains occur at a rate of approximately 2 to 7 per 1,000 people annually. It’s one of the most typical injuries seen in emergency departments and sports medicine clinics.

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2. A Sprain Isn’t “Just a Sprain, " and Old Injuries Come Back If You Don’t Rehab Properly

An ankle sprain is an actual ligament injury, and if the joint doesn’t heal well, it stays weak. Research indicates that approximately 20 per cent of individuals develop chronic ankle instability following their first sprain (Avicenna Journal of Medicine, 2016). How to fix it:

• Restore mobility with gentle ankle circles, alphabet tracing, and controlled stretching.
• Strengthen stabilisers: resistance-band work, calf raises, towel curls, and hip/glute strengthening (weak hips increase ankle collapse).
• Rebuild balance: single-leg balance and wobble-board drills to retrain proprioception.

The soft tissues around the ankle contain nerves responsible for balance and position sense; when they’re injured, recovery without rehabilitation can be incomplete.

The following are the USPs of LMTP:

• Holistic Rehabilitation Approach: involves the medical, physical, and mental aspects of overall health
• Telemetry Supervised Rehabilitation: a state-of-the-art technique to provide optimal health care
• Hydrotherapy
• Six-Minute Walk Test
• Hydraulics (circuit training studio)
• VO2 max testing (equipment under servicing)
• Myo motion analysis (equipment under servicing)
• Detailed Physical Assessment
• Wellbeing Counselling
• Diet Counselling

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3. Not All Ankle Pain Comes From a Twist

Ankle pain doesn’t always start with a misstep. Some pain can be gradual or linked to underlying conditions, such as:

• Chronic overuse injuries (tendonitis)
• Arthritis in the ankle joint
• Biomechanical factors like flat feet or poor alignment
• Systemic inflammatory conditions

One large community survey (Journal of Foot and Ankle Research, 2019) found that foot and ankle pain affects about 184 out of every 1,000 adults aged 55 and older, a prevalence second only to knee pain.

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4. High Heels Can Increase Risk of Ankle Injuries

Wearing high-heeled shoes can injure ankles. A notable study in The Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery estimated that approximately 1,23,355 high-heel-related injuries were treated in U.S. emergency departments over a decade, with most being sprains or strains of the foot and ankle. The injury rate nearly doubled between 2002 and 2012, particularly among women in their 20s and 30s.

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5. Your Ankles Handle Hundreds of Pounds of Force With Every Step

Each step you take sends force through the ankle joint. Walking puts slightly more than your full body weight through your ankle with each step, and running increases that load to 2–3 times your body weight, repeated over and over. Stretching, jumping, climbing stairs, or carrying weight multiplies these forces. This explains why even a seemingly small twist can cause significant pain.

Related story: 6 Yoga Stretches for Managing Joint Stiffness

6. Rehab and Strengthening Are Key to Long-Term Ankle Health

Initial steps, such as rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE), are often helpful right after a sprain. Yet they’re just the first part of recovery. Strengthening the surrounding muscles and improving balance are critical to lowering the risk of future injury. Exercises that help include:

• Ankle circles
• Calf raises
• Resistance-band work
• Balance drills

These not only aid recovery but also help rebuild the stability that an injury can compromise. Muscles and the nervous system play a key role in controlling stability and long-term function, and proactive rehabilitation has been proven to reduce the risk of recurrence.

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Ankles may be small, but they’re essential. From everyday walking to athletic performance, they support motion and balance at every stage of life. Understanding why ankle pain happens, and how to treat and even prevent it, isn’t overcaring. It’s informed care.

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UR Life Studio offers the following programs under its Lifestyle Management and Therapeutic Programs (LMTP) unit:

• Cardiac Rehabilitation
• Pulmonary Rehabilitation
• Neuro Rehabilitation
• Ortho Rehabilitation
• Paediatric Rehabilitation
• Geriatric Rehabilitation
• Obesity Management
• Diabetes management

The following are the USPs of LMTP:

• Holistic Rehabilitation Approach: involves the medical, physical, and mental aspects of overall health
• Telemetry Supervised Rehabilitation: a state-of-the-art technique to provide optimal health care
• Hydrotherapy
• Six Minutes Walk Test
• Hydraulics (circuit training studio)
• VO2 max testing (equipment under servicing)
• Myo motion analysis (equipment under servicing)
• Detailed Physical Assessment
• Wellbeing Counselling
• Diet Counselling