TWISTED' (3 letters) A sprain is an injury to a ligament, which is the tissue that connects two bones together. When someone has a sprained ankle, it means that one or more of the ligaments in the ankle have been stretched or TWISTED beyond their normal range of motion. This can cause pain, swelling, and difficulty walking. The two crossword solutions for the term 'sprained, as an ankle' are 'HURT' (4 letters) and 'TWISTED' (3 letters).