Calling all (would be) Doctors: Sprained Ankle Ques...

[Homerboy]

About 6 weeks ago or so I severly sprained my right ankle playing basketball (foot rolled in, body rolled out... pain ensued).

I went to the Urgent Care, got Xrays etc no torn tendons, broken bones etc. Just a bad sprain. Crutches, Ace Wrap and some pain meds and I was on my way.

Well its 6 weeks later now, and I understand that sprains take a long-ass time to get better (longer than breaking it I guess?) but my ankle is still very weak and generally in constant (slight) pain... its incrediblly weak/sore when I wake up in the morning.

How long before it gets "better". Im not asking for a crystal ball predicition here, jsut what should I expect? I can hardly trott through my front yard with my 3yr old and going back to play ball is so far out of the question... this SUCKS.

Any advice/suggestions etc would be greatly appreciated. The Doc at UC was kinda helpless, and my GP sucks too.

 

[Nanotech]

Your probably only about half way down the road to recovery. I did something similar and although the pain went away within 6 weeks the swelling on one side of my ankle remained for nearly 6 months.

 

[spidey07]

it took my left ankle about 3 years to be fully 100%. Like a dummy I played volleyball and any slight twist would send me to the ground wincing in pain. All I was doing was re-injuring it.

So try not to put any strain on it and go see a physical therapist...they can help strengthen the muscles to provide better support and stretch out your ankle some so that it doesn't get injuried so easily.

-edit- if you still have swelling try and keep it elevated.

 

[HomeBrewerDude]

i did the exact same thing in October

I still have pain occasionally. My limp is gone, but going down stairs is unnatural.

 

[Viper GTS]

It took me quite a few months to not have pain after spraining mine last summer.

Viper GTS

 

[iamme]

there are some exercises you can do to try and strengthen you ankles.

try standing on one foot (the hurt ankle) for a period of time. if it hurts then stop. try to slowly increase the time you can stand on one foot. i believe this strengthens all the small stabilizing muscles in the area. keep stretching your ankles everyday. try a google search for "ankle exercises" or "ankle strengthening".

i've sprained both of my ankles playing basketball.

you should look into buying ankle braces when you play in the future. no brace will prevent an ankle sprain completely, but it can minimize the severity. i've had good experiences with: collin medical supplies (be sure and get a good fit).

(i'm not a doctor, so take my advice fwiw)

 

[Homerboy]

gaaaaaaaaaaaah
thanks for all the "words of encouragement" guys
this BLOWS

 

[Homerboy]

Originally posted by: iamme
there are some exercises you can do to try and strengthen you ankles.

try standing on one foot (the hurt ankle) for a period of time. if it hurts then stop. try to slowly increase the time you can stand on one foot. i believe this strengthens all the small stabilizing muscles in the area. keep stretching your ankles everyday. try a google search for "ankle exercises" or "ankle strengthening".

i've sprained both of my ankles playing basketball.

you should look into buying ankle braces when you play in the future. no brace will prevent an ankle sprain completely, but it can minimize the severity. i've had good experiences with: collin medical supplies (be sure and get a good fit).

(i'm not a doctor, so take my advice fwiw)

Cool good advice... and yeah I certainly planned on wearing a brace from here until I die whenever doing anything "athletic"

 

[911paramedic]

X-rays are very bad for diagnosing soft tissue injuries, an MRI does that.

P.S. In the industry we call them "Quick Scare" for a reason. (regarding their treatment)

 

[Homerboy]

Originally posted by: HomeBrewerDude
i did the exact same thing in October

I still have pain occasionally. My limp is gone, but going down stairs is unnatural.

hehe its funn you mention the stairs thing... I notice this EVERY time I use them (2 story house and 2 floors at work Im constantly shuffling between). Its like I forgot how to step up/down properly. Even if I make a conscious effort to do it "right" its totally unnatural.

Suckage

 

[iamme]

btw, i've read that once you sprain your ankle, it stretches the ligaments so you're now more prone to ankle sprains in the future

i think there is surgery available to rebuild the ligaments and tighten them, but i assume that's for extreme cases.

whatever you do, don't push your luck until you're confident that you've healed 100%. it's not worth it. i tried pushing myself to recover quickly for a basketball tournament and ended up hurting my ankles again . this was last summer and i still consider myself recovering. i can play basketball now, but my ankles get sore after a while. plus i hate wearing ankle braces, but can't stand the thought of spraining them again

 

[Homerboy]

Originally posted by: 911paramedic
X-rays are very bad for diagnosing soft tissue injuries, an MRI does that.

P.S. In the industry we call them "Quick Scare" for a reason. (regarding their treatment)

Well thats waht I thought too... but I guess they were checking for no broken bones... but how could they tell no torn tendons etc?

Are you suggesting I have it re-checked via MRI?

 

[Ynog]

I recently hurt my foot in the same manner.

Ironically I didn't hurt the ankle ligaments, I just torn some of the tendons and broke the foot.
Probably a slightly better injury than a severely sprained ankle, in that my ankle is still stable.

 

[brxndxn]

Homerboy, I got some DAMN GOOD advice for you. Ever since I sprained my ankle (really bad) when I was four years old, I had ankle problems. My right ankle was prone to rolling - even when I wore an ankle brace. I played a lot of soccer and I would sprain my ankle every few years. For some reason, my ankle wouldn't always land right when I would jump.

Well, three years ago, I sprained my ankle playing paintball. It didn't heal right for almost a year and half. It was really starting to upset me. Finally, my doctor prescribed physical therapy. For an ankle, physical therapy is amazing.

I learned that the body is full of muscles called stabilizers. They're involuntary muscles that automatically control balance, landing, and other actions. When one foot leaves the ground, the other foot is supposed to automatically stabilize so that it will not roll or land wrong. Well, my stabilizer muscles were pulled and weak. My ankle staying sprained (and me walking on it and occasionally rolling it every once in a while) caused those muscles not to heal.

In physical therapy, we focused on those stabilizer muscles. They had me do excercises like standing on a foam pad, on one foot, with my eyes closed (very tough). I went to physical therapy for 2 months and was completely healed after a year and a half dealing with a sprained ankle.

Go to physical therapy. Your doctor shouldn't have a problem prescribing it.

Physical therapy did not help in any way for my back and neck when I got in a car accident, though.

 

[iamme]

i was thinking about some sort of physical rehab as well......does medical insurance cover that?

 

[Homerboy]

yeah others have suggested PT
Ill have to talk to my GP and see if he will "perscribe" that.

 

[Ynog]

Originally posted by: Homerboy

Originally posted by: 911paramedic
X-rays are very bad for diagnosing soft tissue injuries, an MRI does that.

P.S. In the industry we call them "Quick Scare" for a reason. (regarding their treatment)

Well thats waht I thought too... but I guess they were checking for no broken bones... but how could they tell no torn tendons etc?

Are you suggesting I have it re-checked via MRI?

If your thinking of having anything relooked at, I would suggest having the X-Rays sent to an
orthopedic doctor, and having him decide what to do. He will be able to look at a foot and the
X-Rays, determine what is injuried and what needs to be done.

 

[Homerboy]

gah... so general consensus is a) go back to doc for PT b) wait a year + before heavy activity c) be bummed

 

[Pliablemoose]

I agree with the idea of going back to your doc, also, your xrays may need to be re done/re examined, there are a bunch o bones in the ankle, & it's very easy to miss a hairline fracture or a bone chip in complex joints.

Anlke sprains/bones

 

[Homerboy]

Originally posted by: iamme
there are some exercises you can do to try and strengthen you ankles.

try standing on one foot (the hurt ankle) for a period of time. if it hurts then stop. try to slowly increase the time you can stand on one foot. i believe this strengthens all the small stabilizing muscles in the area. keep stretching your ankles everyday. try a google search for "ankle exercises" or "ankle strengthening".

i've sprained both of my ankles playing basketball.

you should look into buying ankle braces when you play in the future. no brace will prevent an ankle sprain completely, but it can minimize the severity. i've had good experiences with: collin medical supplies (be sure and get a good fit).

(i'm not a doctor, so take my advice fwiw)

Looking at those braces now... but I have NO IDEA which one to order...

 

[iamme]

when i called, they recommended the ASO Ankle Brace.

they said it was very popular among basketball players.

 

[Homerboy]

Originally posted by: iamme
when i called, they recommended the ASO Ankle Brace.

they said it was very popular among basketball players.

It lists sizes in "inches"
Is that supposed to be shoe-size?

 

[iamme]

i believe there's a measurement you need to take around your foot. i'd give them a call to make certain.

look at the bottom for where to measure

 

[spidey07]

active ankle rocks:

http://www.activeankle.com/store/products.html?OVRAW=active%20ankle&OVKEY=active%20ankle&OVMTC=standard

 

[Homerboy]

Originally posted by: spidey07
active ankle rocks:

http://www.activeankle.com/store/products.html?OVRAW=active%20ankle&OVKEY=active%20ankle&OVMTC=standard

Cripes that'd make me half robot!!!