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Dr. Rebecca Cerrato, Orthopedic Surgery, Institute for Foot and Ankle Reconstruction at Mercy

Dr. Rebecca Cerrato, Institute For Foot And Ankle Reconstruction At Mercy, Discusses Treatment Of Ankle Sprains

Women can be more susceptible to sprained ankles, but early treatment may help speed up recovery time, doctors said.

Aisha Watson sprained her ankle in January and said it was so severe that she is still recovering.

"The swelling -- it's very sore to walk on. I couldn't walk in the heels and had to wear flat shoes. Basically, the swelling was the main thing," she said.

"The most common mechanism of injury of ankle sprains is an inversion sprain, where your ankle actually goes inward this way," said Dr. Rebecca Cerrato, orthopedic surgeon in the Institute for Foot and Ankle Reconstruction at Mercy. Dr. Cerrato treats many patients with sprained ankles, especially women.

"Our joints are just a little more flexible than those of men, and then there are certain times -- whether it's pregnancy or during your menstrual cycle -- that you may be even more susceptible than you were at other times," she said.

Dr. Cerrato said that when it comes to treating an ankle sprain, think of the word rice: rest, ice, compression, wrap the ankle and elevate it. She said if you don't feel any improvements within 72 hours you should see a doctor.

Watson said she's taking her recover step-by-step and said her ankle is improving.

"It's not as bad as it was. The swelling has gone down. It is still tender to touch sometimes but hopefully it won't be too long before I can get back in my heels," she said.

Doctors said a mild sprain needs about six weeks to heal but a more serious sprain can take three to six months to fully recover, and during that time you should limit your physical activity to avoid reinjury.