Sprained ankle!?!?!?!?!?!

Sprained ankle!?!?!?!?!?

I was jumping on my friends trampoline and landed on my foot sideways with the bottom of my foot facing inward. It hurt ALOT and I couldnt walk on it and the top of my foot, [my right foot] is very swollen so I put ice on it. Now, a few hours later the swelling has gone down a bit, but it is tender to walk on, and I have to walk on the heel but it is much better than at the begining. Did I sprain my ankle? If not, what did I do, also how long will it be before I can walk on it freely with no pain? A few days? Also will crutches help?

Yes, you sprained your ankle. You need to reduce swelling (limit blood flow for the first 24 hours), and ice is a good start. Wrap your foot and ankle with a tensor bandage and elevate it so less blood goes there. This should be done for the first 24 hours. Afterwards, there is no need to limit blood flow, but you need to stay off of it as long as possble and using crutches is a good idea. Hobbling is dangerous and you may sprain the other ankle. After a day or two, you can try adding heat (warm water) to increase blood flow to the ankle and help it heal faster.

Depending on the severity of the sprain, I'd stay off the ankle for at least 4-5 days and not do any sports for a week or more. You can do your own physiotherapy after a few days by doing ankle rotations and using a rubber strengthening band for resistance in different directions. Good luck.