Spraining an ankle is one of the most common injuries and almost every one of us has gone through this at least once in a lifetime. Though not a very serious issue, it does leave you feeling helpless as a lot of your everyday activities are difficult to do and your movements are restricted. There are a few simple things that you can do at home to help ease the pain and get you back on your feet in no time.

Use an ice pack on your ankle to help ease the sprain. Ice helps in reducing the swelling.

You can also alternate between cold and hot compression. Try soaking your leg in warm water with a little salt added to it. Regular cooking salt is what you can use. There are a few special salts available for sprains, but the chances of anyone actually storing those special salts at home are very low.

Taking the weight of your leg is the most important thing to when you have sprained your ankle. Lie down and elevate your leg. Use cushions to support your leg and keep elevated for at least 20 to 30 mins. Keep doing this through out the day at intervals. Avoid walking around too much.

Most people tend to hop on one leg to avoid putting pressure on the other, please be careful when doing so as you might loose your balance and end up hurting yourself due to a fall. If you live alone, try calling your family or friends to help you around.

Look for any ointments that can offer relief from the pain. The key here is to gently apply it on the leg. Do not use force nor let anyone massage your ankle as this might make it worse.

For a few days try wearing flat open footwear which gives your foot a good support. Keeping the foot tied up in a bandage will also help provide additional support. Women should avoid high heeled shoes for the next one month, even if your leg does not hurt, it is better to wear flat shoes to avoid putting any kind of strain on your leg.

The pain and swelling should normally subside in about 3 to 4 days.