After spraining your ankle, how long do you have to wait before running again?

I sprained my ankle running four days ago. After spraining it, I ended up walking the mile or so to get back home. We ended up going to the hospital just to make sure it wasn't broken. My ankle and the top of my foot turned black and blue and swelled up. It's looking better now and it doesn't hurt as bad and the mobility in my ankle is returning. I know I should be patient and not rush things, but I am anxious to get back to running... at the same time I don't want to risk further injury. After two surgeries and a fall over a hurdle in track that landed me in physical therapy with a tilted pelvis and out-of-line back, I am hesitant to be too impatient... I hate to be accident prone! Also, would it be a good idea to wear an ankle brace?
Answer:
You should definitely wear an ankle brace. I would start first with minimal walking. Stick to cycling for a low impact workout for your ankle. Then I would move to walking. To be safe, I'd say that you need to give it a minimum of a week from when it stops hurting when you walk till it would be safe to resume practice at a regular pace.I would continue to wear the ankle brace for at least a few weeks after you resume practice. The brace will reduce your chance of injuring yourself again before it's fully healed.

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wrap it with an ace bandage, when it feels FINE to walk on then try jogging then running if it doesn't hurt, maybe a week 2 tops.

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When I first sprained my ankle, the doctor told me to wait a couple of weeks before running, and to make sure I stretch really well before I do. If you feel any sort of pain while running, stop and walk.

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For all the people who come in for sprained ankles, I usually keep them immobilized for 10-14 days in a walking boot and then dispense a lace-up ankle brace. Although they want to get back quicker, they understand that if you go back too quickly it'll be detrimental. After 10-14 days, get a referral to PT and they are the ones who will get you back quicker. Once you get confident again, it's a good idea to wear an ankle brace when you run to keep the ankle stable and consider an orthotic also.

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