Eversion Ankle Sprains: Why Your Ankle Keeps Failing You
Eversion ankle sprains are a less common but still significant injury in sports, and they are increasingly treated in our clinic. We all know that player in the rugby, netball, or soccer team who always seems to have an ankle issue or constantly has the ankle taped up every time they run or train due to untrusting the ankle, let that stop here.
Why Are Ankle Sprains So Common In Sport?
Ankle Sprains are the most common sporting injury, and in turn, this is the injury we treat the most in our clinic. Ankle sprains account for 20% of all injuries, and with any type of sprain—eversion or inversion—this has a big impact on the strength and stability of the ankle.
Unfortunately, this is not an injury that only happens once. We hear that people constantly deal with these sprains, multiple times each season. Why do these sprains keep happening over and over? The short answer is that they aren’t getting the proper rehab.
Quick Anatomy Lesson: What Happens In An Eversion Ankle Sprain?
There are multiple ligaments that stabilise our ankle joint and the joints around our ankle. This medial ligament complex are known as the deltoid ligaments.
There are 4 ligaments on the inside (medial side) of our ankle which are the major stabilisers of the foot so we want to make sure they are not neglected:
- Anterior tibiotalar ligament
- Tibionavicular ligament
- Tibiocalcaneal ligament
- Posterior tibiotalar ligament
The Importance Of Proprioception In Ankle Stability
Our ankle ligaments do more than just hold the joint together. They also play a critical role in balance and movement. Inside these ligaments are tiny receptors that send messages to the brain about where your foot and ankle are positioned. This is called proprioception.
A simple way to understand proprioception is to try standing on one leg with your eyes closed—it suddenly becomes much harder to balance. That’s because without visual input, your body relies heavily on these receptors in the ankle to maintain stability.
When you injure your ankle, particularly in an eversion ankle sprain, this connection between the ankle ligaments and the brain is disrupted. The brain receives less accurate information about the foot’s position, making it harder to balance, react quickly, and feel stable on uneven surfaces.
On top of this, pain and swelling from the injury can reduce muscle activation around the ankle, further contributing to that ‘wobbly’ or unstable feeling.
Why Restoring Proprioception Is The Most Important Stage Of Rehab
Once pain and swelling have settled, many people stop their rehab too soon. But this is when the most important work begins—rebuilding strength, stability, and proprioception.
If you don’t retrain your body’s balance and coordination systems, the ankle remains vulnerable to future sprains. This doesn’t just affect the ankle; instability can cause compensations in the knee, hip, or lower back, increasing the risk of further injury.
Proper rehabilitation should always progress from early-stage recovery (reducing pain and swelling) to advanced proprioceptive training including balance exercises, agility drills, and strengthening movements designed to restore confidence and control in the ankle.
This final stage is what truly prevents repeat injuries and gets you back to sport safely.
Secure The Treatment You Need With Spinal & Sports Care!
Every ankle sprain and injury is unique, but with the expertise of our team at Spinal and Sports Care, including both sports chiropractors and physiotherapists, we can provide the right education and exercises to guide the rehabilitation process to get out of the recurring pain and constant taping. Reach out to our team today for a personalised treatment plan tailored to your needs.