A recent article in the New York Times says that new studies show that ankle sprains may have long-term health consequences, and recommends that people with the injury seek the help of a physical therapist (PT).

In a story that appeared in the September 16 NYT, reporter Gretchen Reynolds recounts two recent studies, all led by the same professor of kinesiology, that tracked activity levels of people and animals after an ankle sprain, and a third study that compared the longevity of mice with and without surgically created sprains.

Reynolds reports that in all three studies, researchers identified long-term effects associated with the sprain. In both the human and animal studies, those who suffered a sprain engaged in less activity than the uninjured, even well after healing. In the third study, the ankle sprained mice used in the activity experiment were tracked until death, where researchers found a correlation between the sprains and shorter life spans.

The article warns against looking at sprains as a minor injury to be ignored and instead describes the effects of sprains as "more substantial and lingering than we have supposed, potentially altering how well and often someone moves, for life."

The NYT report also offers advice on seeking treatment.

"If you twist or otherwise hurt your ankle, consult a doctor or physical therapist about diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation," Reynolds writes. "And if you have sprained an ankle in the past, even if the injury seems fully healed, consider balance testing by a physical therapist to determine whether you are more wobbly than you suspect."