Translation guide
A sprain is an injury to a ligament caused by overstretching. In Japanese, the most common way to express this is using the verb 捻挫する (nenza suru) or the noun 捻挫 (nenza). For specific body parts, compound verbs like 足首を捻る (ashikubi o hineru, to twist one's ankle) are very natural. Note that 捻挫 is a medical term; in casual speech, people often describe the action that caused the injury.
To refer to a sprain as a medical condition or injury, suitable for formal contexts or when speaking to a doctor.
Noun meaning 'sprain'. Used in medical contexts and everyday conversation. Can be used with する to mean 'to sprain'.
I might have sprained it.
Rest is important for treating a sprain.
Verb meaning 'to sprain'. Often used in past tense (捻挫した) to describe the injury.
To describe the action of twisting a joint, which often results in a sprain. This is the most natural way to talk about sprains in casual conversation.
Means 'to twist' a body part. Commonly used with 足首 (ankle), 手首 (wrist), 膝 (knee), etc. Implies a sprain when context is injury.
I twisted my ankle.
I twisted my wrist playing basketball.
Means 'to sprain' or 'to wrench' a joint. Slightly more specific to injury than 捻る. Often used for ankles.
I think I sprained my foot.
To specifically refer to a sprained ankle, which is the most common type of sprain.
捻挫 (nenza) is the medical term for sprain and can be used in formal situations. 捻る (hineru) means 'to twist' and is used casually to describe the action that caused the sprain. 挫く (kujiku) is similar to 捻る but implies a more severe wrenching. In everyday speech, people often say 足首を捻った (I twisted my ankle) rather than 足首を捻挫した (I sprained my ankle).
骨折 means 'bone fracture'. A sprain is a ligament injury, not a bone break. If you are unsure, say 捻挫か骨折かわからない (I don't know if it's a sprain or a fracture).
He is out with a sprained ankle.
Sports context
Apply ice to the sprain.
I sprained my ankle yesterday.
I sprained my ankle on the stairs.