Risk factors

Factors that increase your risk of a sprained ankle include:

• Sports participation. Ankle sprains are a common sports injury, particularly in sports that require jumping, cutting action, or rolling or twisting of the foot such as basketball, tennis, football, soccer and trail running.
• Uneven surfaces. Walking or running on uneven surfaces or poor field conditions may increase the risk of an ankle sprain.
• Prior ankle injury. Once you've sprained your ankle or had another type of ankle injury, you're more likely to sprain it again.
• Poor physical condition. Poor strength or flexibility in the ankles may increase the risk of a sprain when participating in sports.
• Improper shoes. Shoes that don't fit properly or aren't appropriate for an activity, as well as high-heeled shoes in general, make ankles more vulnerable to injury.