Three months ago, I sprained my ankle badly. Normally, I'm very active, but this injury has kept me from doing anything beyond going to work and doing the bare minimum at home. I'm tired of being couped up! A friend told me that if my ankle hurts, I should stay off of it. Is this true?

Many people stop exercising after an injury. However, it is very important that you get back to some kind of exercise program. You may want to start with activities that keep weight off the ankle, such as swimming or biking. If you haven't been trying to rehabilitate your ankle, talk to your health care provider about what you can do. You may need physical therapy if your ankle hasn't been improving.

Reference:

Maria L. Pugia, MPT, et al. Comparison of Acute Swelling and Function in Subjects with Lateral Ankle Injury. In Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy. July 2001. Vol. 31. No. 7. Pp. 384-388.

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Three months ago, I sprained my ankle badly. Normally, I'm very active, but this injury has kept me from doing anything beyond going to work and doing the bare minimum at home. I'm tired of being couped up! A friend told me that if my ankle hurts, I should stay off of it. Is this true?