Ankle Sprain Causes

Ligaments are injured when a greater than normal stretching force is applied to them. This happens most commonly when the foot is turned inward or inverted. This kind of injury can happen in the following ways:

• Awkwardly planting the foot when running, stepping up or down, or during simple tasks such as getting out of bed

• Stepping on a surface that is irregular, such as stepping in a hole

• Athletic events when one player steps on another player (a common example is a basketball player who goes up for a rebound and comes down on top of another player's foot. This can cause the rebounder's foot to roll inward.)

Ankle sprain. Inversion injury of ankle. Note it is turned inward.