Published by Commons Clinic. [Web version](https://commonsclinicreviews.com/articles/ankle-sprain-persistent-instability/) Reviewer names are abbreviated. Patient reviews describe individual experiences. Review counts describe source records, not unique patients or clinical outcomes; the acquired snapshot may not include complete platform histories. Clinical education and patient accounts do not replace a consultation. Foot & ankle # An ankle sprain that keeps giving way: choosing the next step Repeated rolling, ongoing pain and lack of confidence on uneven ground deserve a plan that goes beyond waiting for swelling to settle. Published by Commons Clinic · Updated October 20, 2026 · 5 min read [Questions to ask ↓](https://commonsclinicreviews.com/articles/ankle-sprain-persistent-instability/#consultation-questions) [Patient experiences ↓](https://commonsclinicreviews.com/articles/ankle-sprain-persistent-instability/#patient-experiences) In this guide 1. [Describe the giving-way episodes](https://commonsclinicreviews.com/articles/ankle-sprain-persistent-instability/#guide-section-1) 2. [Make rehabilitation specific enough to evaluate](https://commonsclinicreviews.com/articles/ankle-sprain-persistent-instability/#guide-section-2) 3. [Understand the role of a brace](https://commonsclinicreviews.com/articles/ankle-sprain-persistent-instability/#guide-section-3) 4. [Know what a surgical discussion should cover](https://commonsclinicreviews.com/articles/ankle-sprain-persistent-instability/#guide-section-4) 5. [Ask how confidence and function will return](https://commonsclinicreviews.com/articles/ankle-sprain-persistent-instability/#guide-section-5) 6. [Choose a team you can talk to](https://commonsclinicreviews.com/articles/ankle-sprain-persistent-instability/#guide-section-6) 7. [Check the shape of the foot as well as the ligaments](https://commonsclinicreviews.com/articles/ankle-sprain-persistent-instability/#guide-section-7) 8. [Ask how the therapist will protect the repair while rebuilding control](https://commonsclinicreviews.com/articles/ankle-sprain-persistent-instability/#guide-section-8) [Go to your consultation questions ↓](https://commonsclinicreviews.com/articles/ankle-sprain-persistent-instability/#consultation-questions) ## Describe the giving-way episodes Tell your clinician what happens immediately before the ankle rolls: an uneven sidewalk, a quick turn, landing from a jump or ordinary walking. Note how often it happens, whether a new injury follows, and whether the problem is pain, looseness, weakness or all three. These are useful distinctions when evaluating persistent symptoms. Chronic instability may develop after repeated sprains, especially when recovery has not restored strength and balance. Persistent symptoms can also require assessment for associated tendon, cartilage or other injury. A familiar label should not replace a fresh examination. Sources: [ACFAS FootHealthFacts: Chronic Ankle Instability](https://www.foothealthfacts.org/conditions/chronic-ankle-instability) · [AAOS OrthoInfo: Sprained Ankle](https://www.orthoinfo.org/diseases--conditions/sprained-ankle/) ## Make rehabilitation specific enough to evaluate Ask what your previous rehabilitation did and did not address. A few weeks of rest or a handout is different from a progressive program that works on motion, strength, balance and the demands of your sport. Your therapist should be able to explain why each stage is included. Bring the old exercise plan, the length of time you followed it and any barriers to completing it. If you stopped because every session flared the ankle, say so. The next plan needs a tolerable starting point and a way to progress, rather than a judgment about effort. Sources: [ACFAS FootHealthFacts: Chronic Ankle Instability](https://www.foothealthfacts.org/conditions/chronic-ankle-instability) ## Understand the role of a brace A brace can provide support and reduce recurrent rolling for some people, but it does not answer every cause of pain. Ask when it should be worn, how it should fit your shoes and whether it is supporting rehabilitation or serving as longer-term management. If imaging is suggested, ask how it will help separate ligament instability from another problem. An MRI is not required for every sprain. It may be useful when persistent symptoms or the examination raise a specific question about associated structures. Sources: [AAOS OrthoInfo: Sprained Ankle](https://www.orthoinfo.org/diseases--conditions/sprained-ankle/) ## Know what a surgical discussion should cover Surgery may be considered when meaningful instability persists despite appropriate nonsurgical treatment. Repairing existing ligaments and reconstructing them with tendon tissue are different choices. Ask why your tissue quality, injury history or activity demands favor one approach. If ankle arthroscopy is also planned, clarify what the surgeon expects to look for or treat inside the joint. Discuss wound problems, nerve symptoms, stiffness and the possibility of recurrent instability. The intended result should be described in terms you recognize, such as safer uneven-ground walking or more dependable cutting movements. Sources: [AOFAS FootCareMD: Lateral Ankle Ligament Reconstruction](https://www.footcaremd.org/foot-and-ankle-treatments/ankle/lateral-ankle-ligament-reconstruction) ## Ask how confidence and function will return After an operation, protection of the repair is only the beginning. Progressing from a boot to walking, strengthening and sport-specific tasks takes time. Ask which decisions depend on healing and which depend on measured function. A date on the calendar alone does not explain readiness. Set goals that include daily life. If you avoid a particular staircase or cannot walk the dog on a trail, that belongs in the plan alongside athletic ambitions. Ask how the physician and therapist will share progress and what happens if strength improves but apprehension remains. Sources: [AOFAS FootCareMD: Lateral Ankle Ligament Reconstruction](https://www.footcaremd.org/foot-and-ankle-treatments/ankle/lateral-ankle-ligament-reconstruction) ## Choose a team you can talk to At Commons Clinic, Dr. David Lee focuses on foot and ankle care, including sports injuries, arthroscopy and tendon reconstruction. You can learn more about his practice on his provider page. Patient reviews may help you recognize the kind of explanation and follow-through you value. Use that context to start a conversation about your ankle, especially what you have already tried and what you want to regain. ## Check the shape of the foot as well as the ligaments Johns Hopkins notes that recurrent instability can be influenced by foot mechanics, including a high arch or an inward-turning heel, and by generalized ligament looseness. A ligament procedure therefore deserves an explanation of the wider foot and ankle examination. Ask which findings make your ankle unstable and whether the proposed operation addresses all of them. If you have unusually flexible joints, repeated sprains on both sides or a previous ligament repair, mention it early. Ask whether that history changes the choice of repair, reconstruction, bracing or rehabilitation. You should leave understanding what the treatment is meant to correct. Sources: [Lateral Ankle Ligament Reconstruction](https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/lateral-ankle-ligament-reconstruction) ## Ask how the therapist will protect the repair while rebuilding control HSS rehabilitation guidance after ligament reconstruction includes movement precautions, progressive strength, balance and gait work. It is a procedure-specific professional guide, so its stages should be adapted by your own team. It offers a useful reminder that getting the boot off is only one step in rebuilding a dependable ankle. Ask how your surgeon will communicate the operation details and restrictions to the therapist. Then connect rehabilitation to the situations you avoid: a sloping sidewalk, a quick turn at work or a landing in sport. Ask which test or observation will show improvement before those demands increase. Sources: [Ankle Ligament Reconstruction Post-operative Guidelines](https://www.hss.edu/HSSRehabilitationClinicalGuidelines-Ankl.pdf) Make the most of your visit ## Questions to bring to your consultation Choose the questions that matter most to you. Bring them along, and ask us to explain anything that is unclear. - Is this mechanical ligament instability, another injury, or both? - What did my earlier rehabilitation leave unresolved? - How will the next program test balance and sport-specific control? - When should I use a brace, and for how long? - What would an MRI or stress imaging add? - Would surgery repair my own ligaments or use a graft? - What extra problem would arthroscopy address? - Which milestones will guide return to uneven ground, running and cutting? - Is my foot alignment or generalized joint looseness contributing to repeated sprains? - Which operation details will my therapist receive before starting rehabilitation? - How will we assess control on uneven ground before I resume my usual activities? ## Sources & further reading - [AAOS OrthoInfo: Sprained Ankle](https://www.orthoinfo.org/diseases--conditions/sprained-ankle/) - [ACFAS FootHealthFacts: Chronic Ankle Instability](https://www.foothealthfacts.org/conditions/chronic-ankle-instability) - [AOFAS FootCareMD: Lateral Ankle Ligament Reconstruction](https://www.footcaremd.org/foot-and-ankle-treatments/ankle/lateral-ankle-ligament-reconstruction) - [Lateral Ankle Ligament Reconstruction](https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/lateral-ankle-ligament-reconstruction) Johns Hopkins Medicine - [Ankle Ligament Reconstruction Post-operative Guidelines](https://www.hss.edu/HSSRehabilitationClinicalGuidelines-Ankl.pdf) Hospital for Special Surgery We use these medical sources to help explain your options and prepare you for a conversation with our team. Our guides feature our own clinicians; patient reviews describe individual experiences. [Read as Markdown](https://commonsclinicreviews.com/articles/ankle-sprain-persistent-instability/index.md) Meet our team ## People behind your care. [**David Lee, MD** Orthopedic Surgeon, Foot and Ankle](https://commonsclinicreviews.com/physicians/david-lee-md/) [More about David Lee ↗](https://commonsclinic.com/physicians/david-lee-md/) Explore our clinicians, then talk with us about your symptoms, goals, and the care you need. Patient experiences ## Experiences, *in their words.* Hear from patients about our clinicians, the conversations they had, and the support they received. Excerpt > takes time to really understand what my issues are and explains well what options for treatment are available to me. R. Rating: 5/5 · Source: Google · Date: September 22, 2026 [Reviewer’s Google activity](https://www.google.com/maps/contrib/115609479754843510647/place/ChIJwywFJecz3YARtT6_xCQSQgM) Source link type: reviewer place Attributed clinician: David Lee, MD On the care experience: The reviewer describes attentive evaluation and explanation of options; the diagnosis is unspecified. Excerpt > I was very pleased with the service I received from the entire staff. G. Montgomery Rating: 5/5 · Source: Google · Date: July 21, 2026 [Reviewer’s Google activity](https://www.google.com/maps/contrib/111880972433049025210/place/ChIJwywFJecz3YARtT6_xCQSQgM) Source link type: reviewer place Attributed clinician: David Lee, MD On the care experience: staff and team support Excerpt > Dr Lee was informative and very helpful. C. Rake Rating: 5/5 · Source: Google · Date: July 21, 2026 [Reviewer’s Google activity](https://www.google.com/maps/contrib/100446422147656916518/place/ChIJwywFJecz3YARtT6_xCQSQgM) Source link type: reviewer place Attributed clinician: David Lee, MD On the care experience: support and attention Excerpt > Walked in staff was friendly with good vibes, didn’t take long to have X-rays taken and be roomed. R. Ibarra Rating: 5/5 · Source: Google · Date: June 26, 2026 [Reviewer’s Google activity](https://www.google.com/maps/contrib/101056179717136115325/place/ChIJwywFJecz3YARtT6_xCQSQgM) Source link type: reviewer place Attributed clinician: David Lee, MD On the care experience: staff and team support Excerpt > Dr. Lee had been treating me for close to a year for a broken foot, which was a work related injury. C. lee Rating: 5/5 · Source: Google · Date: February 2, 2022 [Reviewer’s Google activity](https://www.google.com/maps/contrib/106942671546668578884/place/ChIJwywFJecz3YARtT6_xCQSQgM) Source link type: reviewer place Attributed clinician: David Lee, MD On foot, which was a work related injury. Excerpt > He has treated me in the past for a badly sprained ankle and now most recently for a foot injury. J. Huyck Rating: 5/5 · Source: Google · Date: August 30, 2020 [Reviewer’s Google activity](https://www.google.com/maps/contrib/107050441656068345551/place/ChIJwywFJecz3YARtT6_xCQSQgM) Source link type: reviewer place Attributed clinician: David Lee, MD On ankle and now most recently for a foot injury. Keep exploring ## Your next *good question.* More guidance to help you understand your options and plan your next step. Foot & ankle ### [A changing arch: what to ask about painful adult flatfoot](https://commonsclinicreviews.com/articles/flatfoot-progressive-arch-collapse/) When the foot shape changes and walking becomes uncomfortable, the plan should account for tendons, ligaments, alignment and joint flexibility. [Read the guide](https://commonsclinicreviews.com/articles/flatfoot-progressive-arch-collapse/) Foot & ankle ### [Achilles rupture: how to compare surgery and nonsurgical care](https://commonsclinicreviews.com/articles/achilles-rupture-treatment-choices/) Both pathways need a prompt assessment and a detailed rehabilitation plan. The choice should fit the tear and the demands of your life. [Read the guide](https://commonsclinicreviews.com/articles/achilles-rupture-treatment-choices/) Foot & ankle ### [Achilles tendon pain: what matters in a treatment plan?](https://commonsclinicreviews.com/articles/achilles-tendon-pain-care/) A useful Achilles consultation explains where the tendon hurts, how loading will change, and how progress will be measured. [Read the guide](https://commonsclinicreviews.com/articles/achilles-tendon-pain-care/) Meet the clinicians ## Explore your *next conversation.* [![David Lee, MD](https://commonsclinicreviews.com/assets/david-lee-md.png)](https://commonsclinicreviews.com/physicians/david-lee-md/) Orthopedic Surgeon, Foot and Ankle ### [David Lee, MD](https://commonsclinicreviews.com/physicians/david-lee-md/) Long Beach – Douglas Park · Long Beach – Bixby Knolls [Meet David Lee](https://commonsclinicreviews.com/physicians/david-lee-md/) ## Publisher & attribution Commons Clinic Reviews is operated by Commons Clinic. This website is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Google, Zocdoc, or Yelp. Google, Google Maps, and Google Business Profile are trademarks of Google LLC. Zocdoc and the Zocdoc logo are trademarks of Zocdoc, Inc. Yelp and the Yelp logo are registered trademarks of Yelp Inc. All third-party names and logos belong to their respective owners and identify the original review sources. © 2026 Commons Clinic. All rights reserved.