Welcome back to our ankle sprain series! In our previous post, we covered the acute phase—what to do immediately after an ankle sprain. Now, we’re diving into the subacute phase, which is where most people start to wonder: Do I need treatment, or can I just let it heal on its own? Spoiler alert: getting on the right treatment protocol now can prevent future injuries and long-term issues.
The subacute phase of an ankle sprain typically begins a few days after the injury and lasts up to six weeks. At this point, the initial swelling and bruising may have decreased, and you might feel like things are improving. However, this is a critical time to take action. Without proper treatment, your ligaments, which have been overstretched and weakened, will never regain their original stability. This makes re-injury much more likely.
Many people assume that if their pain is decreasing, they’re in the clear. The reality? Pain reduction does NOT equal full recovery. If you don’t restore proper strength, mobility, stability, and proprioception, you risk developing a chronic ankle sprain, gait imbalances, and long-term compensations that can lead to knee, hip, or lower back pain and future injuries to your lower extremity.
We get this question all the time. Both physiotherapists and chiropractors can play a role in ankle sprain recovery, but in the subacute phase, a physiotherapist is typically your best first stop. Why? Because this phase is all about restoring mobility and strength to prevent future instability.
If you see a chiropractor first, they may still help with manual therapy techniques and joint mobility, but because we work collaboratively, most of our chiropractors will refer you to a physiotherapist for long-term strengthening and rehabilitation.
Your physiotherapist will focus on restoring movement, reducing stiffness, and progressively rebuilding strength and balance. Treatment may include:
Leaving a subacute ankle sprain untreated can lead to:
If you’re still experiencing significant pain, swelling, or difficulty bearing weight after a few weeks, you may have a more serious injury. In some cases, what seems like an ankle sprain could actually be a fracture. A physiotherapist can assess your injury and refer you for imaging if needed.
The subacute phase is a golden opportunity to set yourself up for a full recovery. Pain alone is not an indicator of healing—strength, stability, and mobility are what matter. Whether you see a physiotherapist first or come through a chiropractor, our team will ensure you get the right care to avoid chronic issues and get back to moving pain-free.
Stay tuned for the final post in our series, where we’ll talk about chronic ankle sprains and what to do if your ankle has never quite been the same since that first injury. Need treatment now?
Book your appointment today! Have more questions? Call us at 604-742-3688 or visit our clinic in South Granville, Vancouver to speak with one of our clinical coordinators for more information.
With care,
Therapy X Collective