Your Child Has Sprained Their Ankle… Now What?

If your child plays sport, chances are you've experienced it. That moment when they come off the field holding their ankle, clutching their knee, or saying, "I think I pulled a muscle.”
 
As a parent, it's natural to want to do everything you can to help them recover quickly. But did you know that the old advice of "just rest until it feels better" is no longer considered the best approach?
 
Modern research recommends following the PEACE & LOVE principles to support healing and help your child return to the sport they love safely.[1]
 
1. Protect It—But Don't Wrap Them in Cotton WoolFor the first couple of days, it's important to protect the injured area and avoid activities that make the pain significantly worse.
 
That doesn't mean staying on the couch all week.
 
Gentle, comfortable movement helps keep joints from becoming stiff and encourages healthy healing. As pain settles, your child can gradually become more active under the right guidance.
 
2. Swelling Isn't the EnemySeeing a swollen ankle or knee can be worrying, but swelling is actually part of the body's natural healing response.
 
Instead of trying to eliminate it completely, focus on supporting recovery with compression, elevation, and allowing the body to heal. Ice can help make your child more comfortable, but current evidence suggests it doesn't speed up the healing process itself.
 
3. Don't Rush Back to SportThis is probably the hardest part—for both kids and parents.
 
Children often feel much better before the injured tissues are fully healed. Returning to training or competition too soon increases the risk of re-injury, which can mean even more time on the sidelines.
 
A gradual rehabilitation program that rebuilds strength, balance, and confidence gives your child the best chance of returning stronger and staying injury-free.
 
Remember PEACE & LOVEPEACE (First 1–3 days)

• P – Protect
• E – Elevate
• A – Avoid unnecessary anti-inflammatory medication
• C – Compress
• E – Educate

LOVE (After the acute phase)

• L – Load progressively
• O – Stay optimistic
• V – Keep moving with gentle cardiovascular exercise
• E – Exercise to restore strength, balance, and confidence

 
Every Injury Is DifferentMost sprains and strains heal well with the right management, but some injuries need a closer look. If your child can't put weight on the injured limb, has severe swelling, obvious deformity, or isn't improving after a few days, it's important to have them assessed. Talk to one of our chiropractors in sprouting health and see how we could help manage your concerns.
 



Reference

1.         Dubois, B. and J.-F. Esculier, Soft-tissue injuries simply need PEACE and LOVE. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2020. 54(2): p. 72.