Other times to see your healthcare provider for a sprain:

• The injured joint is tender to touch.
• The injured area looks crooked or has bumps not visible on an uninjured joint.
• Your leg buckles when you try to use your injured knee or ankle.
• The injured area is numb.
• The injured area has been injured in the past.

You should follow the RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) treatment for the first 1 to 2 days after the injury:

• Rest the injured joint.
• Put an ice pack on it. Wrap the ice pack in a thin towel. Use the ice pack 4 to 8 times a day for 20 minutes each time.
• Wrap the joint with a compression bandage.
• Raise it above the level of your heart.

Your healthcare provider may recommend a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicine such as ibuprofen to help ease pain and swelling. A moderate to severe sprain or strain may need a cast or brace to hold the joint still while it heals. A severe sprain or strain may need surgery to fix the tear. How long it takes a sprain or strain to heal depends on how severe the injury is. A moderate ankle sprain might need up to 6 weeks to heal. A severe sprain might take 6 months to a year.