Parents want a date. Athletic trainers want criteria. The honest answer is: when the ankle can do the sport, not when it looks less puffy in the hallway.
A typical inversion sprain still needs protection in the first days, then progressive loading: walking without a hitch, single-leg balance, calf capacity, cutting, then practice, then games. Skipping those steps is how a “simple sprain” becomes a season of taping and re-rolls.
We work with Venice-area athletic trainers on same-week evaluations and written notes that say what the athlete can do tomorrow — not a vague “as tolerated.”
If your athlete rolled an ankle this week, call. Early, specific care is the difference between a short absence and a chronic ankle.