How Long Does a Sprained Ankle Take to Heal? Grades 1, 2 and 3
Foot Care Guide from ASG Foot & Ankle
The short answer
A sprained ankle usually takes 1 to 2 weeks to heal if the ligament is stretched (grade 1), 2 to 6 weeks if it is partly torn (grade 2), and 6 to 12 weeks or longer if it is fully torn (grade 3). Swelling can last 3 to 6 months. Pain usually stops before the ankle is stable.
- Grade 11 to 2 weeksLigament stretched (mild)
- Grade 22 to 6 weeksLigament partly torn (moderate)
- Grade 36 to 12 weeks or longerLigament fully torn (severe)
- High ankle sprain6 weeks to 5 monthsAbove the joint
- Leftover swelling or aching3 to 6 monthsCan follow any grade
Based on (AAFP handout) (AAOS) (AAFP 2012) (Cleveland Clinic) (King's College Hospital). See how the sources compare.
ASG Foot & Ankle patient education. Updated November 6, 2026. General information, not a diagnosis.
If you are not sure it is only a sprain, start with how to tell a sprained ankle from a broken one. That page covers the walking test and the bone spots that decide on an X-ray.
When a Sprained Ankle Needs Urgent Care
- •Go to the ER if you heard a crack, the ankle changed shape, the foot is numb or tingling, or the skin looks blue or gray or feels cold. (NHS)
- •Get an X-ray if you could not take 4 steps right after the injury and still cannot, or if an ankle or midfoot bone hurts when pressed. (AAFP 2012)
- •Diabetes, neuropathy or poor circulation: get checked the same day. Nerve damage can hide pain, and a warm, red, swollen foot can be Charcot foot, which can be mistaken for a sprain. (MedlinePlus) (ACFAS)
- •Blood clot signs: throbbing pain and swelling in one calf or thigh need urgent care, and chest pain or shortness of breath is an emergency. (NHS) Clots are rare: 5 were reported among 584 people with severe sprains. (Lamb 2009)
Sprained Ankle Recovery Time by Grade
Ankle sprain grades describe how badly the ligament is hurt, from a stretch to a full tear.
| Grade | What is injured | Recovery time |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 1 (mild) Grade 1 ankle sprain recovery time | Ligament stretched, with tiny tears. Mild swelling. You can usually walk. | 1 to 2 weeks |
| Grade 2 (moderate) Grade 2 ankle sprain recovery time | Ligament partly torn. Walking hurts, and the ankle may feel a little loose. | 2 to 6 weeks |
| Grade 3 (severe) Grade 3 ankle sprain recovery time | Ligament fully torn. Severe swelling and bruising. Often too painful to walk on at first. | 6 to 12 weeks or longer |
| High ankle sprain High ankle sprain recovery time | Ligaments that join the two lower leg bones, above the joint. | 6 weeks to 5 months |
Grade descriptions: (AAOS) (AAFP 2001) (Cleveland Clinic). High ankle sprain times: (Cleveland Clinic) (AAFP 2012).
- Mild ankle sprain is another name for grade 1.
- Low ankle sprain is the more common type, and grades 1 to 3 above describe it. It generally heals faster than a high ankle sprain. (Cleveland Clinic)
- Rolled ankle or twisted ankle usually means the same injury to the ligaments on the outer side. (King's College Hospital) The first 72 hours are covered in rolled ankle recovery time.
- Your first grade may change. Pain and swelling limit the exam early on. A review reports that a delayed exam at day 4 to 5 finds 96% of torn ligaments and correctly clears 84% of ankles without one. (D'Hooghe 2020)
- Ankle injury recovery time is different if a bone is broken. See the ankle fracture recovery timeline.
Why Sprained Ankle Timelines Disagree
Sprained ankle healing time varies from one trusted source to the next, partly because they measure different milestones, such as feeling better, daily activity or sport. Here are their figures side by side. Our single-grade guides give ranges for specific milestones, so their numbers can run a little longer. How long healing takes is also the most common question in our 90 days of foot injury search data.
| Source | Mild | Moderate | Severe |
|---|---|---|---|
| (AAFP handout) | 1 to 2 weeks | 2 to 4 weeks | 6 to 8 weeks |
| (Cleveland Clinic) | A week or two | No figure | Up to several months |
| (AAOS) | Rehab about 2 weeks | No figure | Rehab up to 6 to 12 weeks |
| (AAFP 2012) | Most ankle sprains resolve in 2 to 6 weeks. | ||
| (NHS) | Most feel better after 2 weeks. Avoid hard exercise for up to 8 weeks. Severe sprains can take months. | ||
| (King's College) | About 6 to 12 weeks to heal. Pain and swelling can last 3 to 6 months. | ||
| (Royal United Bath) | Most heal in 6 to 12 weeks. Symptoms can take 6 to 12 months to settle completely. | ||
- They measure different things. AAOS gives the length of a treatment program. The NHS separates feeling better from hard exercise. Hospital leaflets count until the last symptoms settle, and their patients may have worse sprains.
- How this page chose its ranges. Grade 1 uses AAFP and Cleveland Clinic. Grade 2 runs from the AAFP low end to the 6 weeks in AAFP 2012. Grade 3 uses AAFP and AAOS, with "or longer" from Cleveland Clinic and the NHS. These are estimates. The guides do not point to a study that timed each grade.
- Athletes can return sooner. In soccer, the average time out per sprain was 7 to 18 days, and 83% to 89% cost under 4 weeks. The return-to-sport reports did not record the grade. (D'Hooghe 2020)
What Happens Week by Week
Pain and Swelling at Their Worst
- The worst pain and swelling usually last 2 to 3 days. (AAOS)
- Ice for 20 minutes every 2 to 3 hours and raise it above heart level. Move the foot gently up and down, using pain as your guide. (AAFP handout)
- Use a stirrup brace, lace-up brace or tape. A severe sprain may need a rigid brace or walking boot for up to 10 days. (AAFP handout) Loosen any wrap if your toes go numb or tingle. (Cleveland Clinic)
More Weight, More Movement
- Put more weight on it as you can and come off crutches. Add ankle circles and alphabet writing. Start balance exercises once you can bear weight. (AAFP handout)
- A doctor can judge the grade more accurately at day 4 to 7 than on the day of injury. (AAFP 2025)
- Call a provider if the ankle feels no better after 5 to 7 days. (MedlinePlus)
Pain Falls Quickly
- Reports of pain drop quickly. (van Rijn 2008) Grade 1 sprains usually recover by about now. Add stretches, band exercises and standing balance work. (AAFP handout)
- In a trial of 101 people with grade 1 or 2 sprains, starting exercise in week 1 improved function at weeks 1 and 2, and those people walked more. Pain and swelling did not differ. (Bleakley 2010)
Back to Most Activity
- Most ankle sprains resolve in this window. (AAFP 2012)
- Exercises move on to hopping, jump rope, side-to-side steps and easy sport drills when your strength and balance allow. (AAFP handout)
- Advice on how long to keep a brace on for walking runs from 2 to 6 weeks. (King's College Hospital) (AAFP handout) (Royal United Bath)
- A significant sprain should be examined again at 4 to 6 weeks to check for instability. (AAFP 2012)
Ligaments Still Healing
- In the trials reviewed, ligament healing took at least 6 weeks to 3 months. (Hubbard 2008)
- The NHS advises avoiding hard exercise such as running for up to 8 weeks. (NHS)
- A balance and strength program usually runs 8 to 12 weeks in total. (AAFP 2025)
The Last of the Symptoms
- Pain and swelling can last 3 to 6 months. Swelling is often worse at the end of the day. (King's College Hospital)
- Swelling can continue for up to 12 months. (Northern Lincolnshire NHS)
- An ankle that still feels weak or gives way easily should be checked. (MedlinePlus)
Where should I be today? Enter the date of the sprain
Enter the date and get what is normal for today, what is next, and what to watch for.
How Many People Still Have Symptoms Later
Getting back to daily life comes well before a full recovery. A 2016 trial of 503 people with grade 1 or 2 sprains tracked how many reached "excellent recovery": at least 450 of 500 points on a foot and ankle questionnaire.
| Time since sprain | Grade 1 | Grade 2 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 month | 15% to 20% | 9% to 12% |
| 3 months | 51% to 57% | 30% to 37% |
| 6 months | 72% | 51% to 56% |
Share with excellent recovery. Ranges cover the trial's two groups. (Brison 2016) The score is a high bar, about 60% had hurt that ankle before, and only about 1 in 3 eligible patients joined. Grade 3 sprains were not included.
Longer follow-up
- At 1 year: 5% to 33% still had pain, in a review of 31 studies. (van Rijn 2008) Up to 1 year, 7% to 42% felt the ankle was unstable. (Hubbard 2008)
- At 1 year after a first sprain: 40% scored as having chronic ankle instability on a questionnaire, in a small study of 82 people. (Doherty 2018)
- Within 3 years: 36% to 85% reported full recovery. (van Rijn 2008)
- At 7 years: 32% of 648 people reported chronic pain, swelling or re-sprains. For most of those with limits, the limit was playing sport at the level they wanted. (Konradsen 2002)
The ranges are wide because studies define recovery differently and follow people for different lengths of time. Read these as a sign that slow recovery is common, and do not treat any one figure as your odds.
What Changes Your Timeline
| Factor | What the evidence shows |
|---|---|
| Age | At 6 months, excellent recovery was 64% to 70% at age 30 or under, and 48% to 52% over 30. This is a subgroup result from one trial. (Brison 2016) |
| Diabetes or smoking | Either can make healing take longer. (Royal United Bath) The figures on this page come mostly from general and athletic groups, so they may not fit if you have diabetes, neuropathy or poor circulation. |
| Earlier sprains | A previous sprain is the greatest risk factor for another. (AAFP 2012) One review puts the increase at 2 to 5 times in soccer players. (D'Hooghe 2020) |
| How bad it looked at first | The evidence conflicts. In the 7-year study, severity at injury did not track with later disability. (Konradsen 2002) In a study of 28 people using ultrasound, more fully torn ligaments meant worse pain and symptoms at 1 year. (Choi 2020) |
| Jumping and landing at 2 weeks | In a lab study, people who could not do a single-leg drop landing and a drop jump at 2 weeks were more likely to have instability at 1 year. The test sorted 68% of cases correctly, so it is only a clue. (Doherty 2016) |
| Finishing rehab | AAOS names incomplete rehab as the most common cause of chronic ankle instability. (AAOS) |
Why the Pain Stops Before the Ankle Is Stable
- PainFirst 2 weeksFalls quickly
- Ligament healingAt least 6 weeks to 3 monthsMinimum seen in trials
- Looseness or feeling unstable6 weeks to 1 yearIn part of the group
- Higher risk of another sprainAbout the first yearIn athletes
(van Rijn 2008) (Hubbard 2008) (Hupperets 2009)
Proprioception is your sense of where your foot is without looking. A sprain can leave you with less of it and with a less stable joint. (D'Hooghe 2020) Balance programs improve proprioception and how fast the muscles react. (Halabchi 2020)
What Balance Training and Braces Showed in Trials
Re-sprain rates depend on the group and how long it was followed: 3% to 34% across studies in one review. (van Rijn 2008)
Home balance program
522 athletes aged 12 to 70, with a sprain in the past 2 months. (Hupperets 2009)
Result: over 1 year, 22% re-sprained with the 8-week program, against 33% with usual care alone. About 9 people needed the program to prevent one re-sprain.
Limits: re-sprains were self-reported. Only 23% said they fully completed the program. There was no clear drop in self-reported re-sprains among those who had medical treatment for the first sprain.
Brace against training
384 athletes with a recent sprain, 340 analyzed. (Janssen 2014)
Result: over 1 year, 15% re-sprained with a semirigid brace during sport, 27% with 8 weeks of training, and 19% with both. The brace lowered how often sprains happened, but not how severe they were.
Limits: there was no untreated group, so it cannot show the full benefit of either one. Only 23% wore the brace as told for all 12 months. Re-sprains were self-reported.
An overview of 46 review papers rated the evidence for bracing as strong and for balance training as moderate. (Doherty 2017) A 2010 review of seven studies put the drop in sprains near 69% with braces and 71% with tape. (AAFP 2012)
How to use this
- Balance work: the home trial used 3 sessions a week, up to 30 minutes each, for 8 weeks. Its authors say at least 6 weeks seems necessary. (Hupperets 2009)
- Starter exercises: stand heel to toe for 30 to 60 seconds. Then stand on one leg for 30 seconds, first on a firm surface and later on an uneven one, eyes open and then closed. (AAFP handout)
- Sport: wear a brace during sports for up to 12 months to help prevent another sprain. (AAFP 2025)
What Helps Early On, and How Strong the Evidence Is
| Option | What the evidence shows |
|---|---|
| Early movement and walking | Strong evidence for less pain and swelling and better function. (Doherty 2017) Immobilization for over 2 weeks leads to poorer results. (D'Hooghe 2020) |
| Short cast or brace for a severe sprain | In 584 people, a 10-day below-knee cast or an air-stirrup brace gave better ankle function at 3 months than a compression bandage. A boot-type support gave no benefit over the bandage. By 9 months the groups were similar. (Lamb 2009) AAFP suggests 5 to 10 days of limited immobilization. (AAFP 2025) |
| Rest, ice, compression, elevation | A review of 11 trials and 868 patients found too little evidence to judge it. (van den Bekerom 2012) Advice on ice runs from the first 8 hours (Cleveland Clinic) to about 3 days (AAFP handout). If you have reduced feeling or poor circulation, ask a clinician before using ice or a tight wrap. |
| Anti-inflammatory pain medicine | Strong evidence for pain and swelling. (Doherty 2017) One guideline warns these drugs may suppress natural healing and can cause complications. (Vuurberg 2018) Acetaminophen controls pain about as well. (AAFP 2025) |
| Supervised physical therapy | For grade 1 and 2 sprains, adding it to written instructions made no clinically important difference by 6 months, and re-injury was similar at about 8%. (Brison 2016) A guideline still prefers supervised exercise over passive treatments. (Vuurberg 2018) It may help if pain has not improved by 6 to 12 weeks. (King's College Hospital) |
If It Is Not Better by Six Weeks
Ask for a new exam. AAOS says an MRI may be ordered if symptoms continue beyond 6 to 8 weeks despite treatment. (AAOS) AAFP advises an X-ray if none was done, or an MRI if the first X-ray was normal. (AAFP 2025) Injuries that go with a sprain are often missed. (Halabchi 2020)
- •Chronic ankle instability: the outer ankle keeps giving way, often after a sprain that did not fully heal. A brace can help. (ACFAS) Surgery is kept for ankles that do not respond to a full exercise program. (Vuurberg 2018)
- •Peroneal tendon tear: pain along the outside of the ankle with weakness. You might think the pain is only from the sprain. (Cleveland Clinic) See peroneal tendonitis recovery.
- •Missed fracture: an MRI can look for fractures of the talus, the ankle bone above the heel. (AAFP 2025) See minor ankle fracture recovery.
- •Cartilage and bone damage: repeated injury can damage the cartilage and bones under the ligaments. (AAOS)
- •A different injury: pain in the arch or middle of the foot may be a sprained foot. Swelling with no injury has other causes.
The bottom line
- Most sprained ankles recover in 1 to 6 weeks. A complete ligament tear usually takes 6 to 12 weeks or longer.
- Swelling and aching can last 3 to 6 months, and they should keep improving over that time.
- At 1 year, 5% to 33% of people in a review of 31 studies still had pain, so slow recovery is common.
- An 8-week balance program and a brace during sport both lowered re-sprains in trials.
- Get urgent care if you could not take 4 steps and still cannot, a bone hurts when pressed, the foot is numb or cold, or you have diabetes and the foot is warm, red or swollen.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a sprained ankle last?
The worst pain and swelling usually last a few days, and most sprains feel better after about 2 weeks. Recovery takes 1 to 2 weeks if mild, 2 to 6 weeks for a partial tear, and 6 to 12 weeks or longer for a complete tear. In a review of 31 studies, 5% to 33% of people still had pain at 1 year.
How long does a rolled or twisted ankle take to heal?
A rolled or twisted ankle is usually a sprain of the ligaments on the outer side, so the same ranges apply: 1 to 2 weeks if the ligament is stretched, 2 to 6 weeks if it is partly torn, and 6 to 12 weeks or longer if it is fully torn. Pain above the ankle joint after a twist can mean a high ankle sprain, which takes longer.
What is a low ankle sprain, and how long does it take to heal?
A low ankle sprain is the more common type. It does not involve the high ankle ligaments that join the two lower leg bones. Recovery follows the grade, from 1 to 2 weeks for a mild ankle sprain to 6 to 12 weeks or longer for a complete tear. High ankle sprains generally take longer.
When can I walk on a sprained ankle?
Usually as soon as pain allows, with a brace or other support and crutches if you need them. Put on only as much weight as is comfortable at first. A severe sprain may need a rigid brace or boot for up to 10 days. If you could not take 4 steps right after the injury and still cannot, get checked for a fracture first.
Why is my ankle still swollen weeks after the sprain?
NHS hospital leaflets say pain and swelling can last 3 to 6 months, and one says swelling can continue for up to 12 months. It is often worse at the end of the day or after a long time on your feet. Get checked if it is getting worse, or if you have diabetes and the foot is warm, red or swollen.
Sources
- AAFP: Recovering from an ankle sprain, patient handout (2025)
- AAFP: Management of acute ankle sprains (2025)
- AAFP: Update on acute ankle sprains (2012)
- AAFP: Management of ankle sprains (2001)
- AAOS OrthoInfo: Sprained ankle
- Cleveland Clinic: Sprained ankle
- Cleveland Clinic: High ankle sprain
- Cleveland Clinic: Peroneal tendon tear
- Cleveland Clinic: The RICE method
- NHS: Sprains and strains
- NHS: Deep vein thrombosis
- King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust: Ankle sprain leaflet
- Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust: Advice after spraining your ankle
- Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust: Ankle sprain
- MedlinePlus: Ankle sprain, aftercare
- MedlinePlus: Charcot foot
- ACFAS FootHealthFacts: Chronic ankle instability
- ACFAS FootHealthFacts: Charcot foot
- van Rijn RM, et al. What is the clinical course of acute ankle sprains? Am J Med, 2008
- Konradsen L, et al. Seven years follow-up after ankle inversion trauma. Scand J Med Sci Sports, 2002
- Hubbard TJ, Hicks-Little CA. Ankle ligament healing after an acute ankle sprain. J Athl Train, 2008
- Brison RJ, et al. Effect of early supervised physiotherapy on recovery from acute ankle sprain. BMJ, 2016
- Doherty C, et al. Recovery from a first-time lateral ankle sprain. Am J Sports Med, 2016
- Doherty C, et al. Treatment and prevention of acute and recurrent ankle sprain. Br J Sports Med, 2017
- Doherty C, et al. Clinical tests have limited predictive value for chronic ankle instability. Arch Phys Med Rehabil, 2018
- Hupperets MD, et al. Effect of unsupervised home based proprioceptive training on recurrences of ankle sprain. BMJ, 2009
- Janssen KW, et al. Bracing superior to neuromuscular training for the prevention of self-reported recurrent ankle sprains. Br J Sports Med, 2014
- Lamb SE, et al. Mechanical supports for acute, severe ankle sprain. Lancet, 2009
- Bleakley CM, et al. Effect of accelerated rehabilitation on function after ankle sprain. BMJ, 2010
- van den Bekerom MP, et al. What is the evidence for rest, ice, compression, and elevation therapy? J Athl Train, 2012
- Vuurberg G, et al. Diagnosis, treatment and prevention of ankle sprains. Br J Sports Med, 2018
- D'Hooghe P, et al. Return to play after a lateral ligament ankle sprain. Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med, 2020
- Halabchi F, Hassabi M. Acute ankle sprain in athletes. World J Orthop, 2020
- Choi WS, et al. Prognostic factors of acute ankle sprain. J Orthop Sci, 2020
General patient education. Your examination and individual treatment instructions take priority.
See a Podiatrist Near You
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Ankle Still Giving Way?
An ankle that keeps rolling, or that has not improved by six weeks, should be examined again. ASG Foot & Ankle can check for instability and related injuries, arrange imaging if it is needed, and plan rehab.