The symptoms of a torn foot ligament will vary according to which ligament is injured and the manner in which it was injured. There are six major ligaments that function when a person walks. When any of these ligaments is stretched beyond its capacity, it often tears.It has been said that a torn ligament can feel more painful than a broken bone. Injury usually occurs when twisting the foot a
. certain way, for example stepping into a hole in the yard or some other misstep. Torn ligaments are also commonly attributed to overuse, such of that by athletes.The affected foot will be extremely painful when it is moved a certain way or when attempting to walk on it. A dent will often appear in the spot where the ligament tore. The foot will likely begin to swell. Sometimes it may appear bruised and feel tender to the touch, feel hot, or feel like it contains an enormous amount of pressure.The affected person should immediately rest the foot and place ice on the injured foot. A splint or bandage is helpful but not necessary at this time.To rehabilitate the foot, doctors usually recommend R-I-C-E therapy (Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation). This method of therapy is effective because icing keeps the swelling and inflammation down. Compression, or wrapping the foot with an elastic bandage, controls movement and keeps swelling at bay. Elevation is effective because if the foot is elevated higher than the injured person's heart, the pooling of blood is prevented which will help the foot heal faster. Another thing to remember is that until the tear has completely healed, the injured person should refrain from doing whatever activity caused the torn ligament in the first place.Generally, a torn ligament takes between eight to twelve weeks to heal. However, an additional symptom that will not go away is the fact that the ligament is much easier to tear the next time. More reference links: http://jointhealing.com/pages/foot/acute_ankle_sprain_tx.html http://www.spraintreatment.net/torn-ligament.html