Table 1 Summary of recommendations in clinical guideline Acute ankle injury

Function Score

If a patient scores more than 40 points within the first five days after injury, it is considered a light injury, which requires no specific physiotherapy treatment. For these patients full recovery to normal ADL activities (except sport) can be expected in 14 days, which equals a Function score of at least 75 points.

Light injury

For patients with light injuries and without necessity for sport-specific rehabilitation the guideline recommends a maximum of three treatment sessions.

Severe injury

Severe injuries may require up to six treatment sessions within six weeks. Choice of interventions is based on normal recovery after ligament sprains, going from acute inflammation to proliferation and remodelling of the injured tissue. Furthermore, the guideline recommends that exercise therapy should be the main focus of the intervention, while physical modalities like Ultrasound or Electrotherapy are not recommended to be part of the intervention.

Sports rehabilitation

Sport specific rehabilitation requires specific treatment, which may last for about 12 weeks. Progressive increase of loading. Exercise therapy: from static to dynamic; from single-task to multi-task; from cyclic to non-cyclic exercises