plansrme Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 Has anyone done this? Did it help? I sprained my ankle, badly, in early January. I did not go to an orthopedist so he could say, "Yep, that's a sprain alright." I knew it was a sprain; my dog knew it was a sprain. I saw no need to get a professional to say the same thing. It has gotten better slowly, but I still had significant pain until a couple of weeks ago when my daughter showed me the osteopathic manipulation her chiropractor ("Miracle Max") did on her sprained ankle. I did that, and it was immediately and significantly better. Putting the bone back in place seems to have allowed the ligaments and whatever else is in there to heal, so I have even run on it a couple of times since. Yea, Miracle Max! BUT, it is still sore and, I think, less stable than it should be. I have been favoring it for so long, especially going down stairs, that I think it is messed up from my gimping around on it, not necessarily from the sprain itself. I have access to a good PT who will see me without a doctor's script, so would it be worth it? Or can I just do what I usually do when I need medical help: Google "PT for sprained ankles"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kalypso Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 I sprained my ankle badly in October, and it never healed like it should. I didn't go to the dr at the time. It got worse at the end of January. I finally went to an orthopedist, had an MRI, and found out that I had a tear in my tendon. I went to PT for a few weeks and was given many different exercises to help strengthen it. I had many things out of whack after gimping around like you. The PT would probably be very helpful even if you don't see an orthopedist first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeachyDoodle Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 My dh sprains his ankles ALL THE TIME. He turned one pretty badly a few weeks ago and actually chipped a bone in the process. He wound up seeing an orthopedist because of that. He usually just limps around on it for a couple of days. The doctor suggested PT because of dh's weak ankles. It's only going to take four sessions so not too bad. He starts this week so I can't speak to how well it works, but if this is something that happens to you regularly, it might be worth it. If you strengthen them now, you may avoid more serious injury in the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 after three months? I'd also see a chiropractor as I'd be suspect your hips are also now off from limping. did you ice, elevate, and compress? if you haven't got one, you might want to also get an ankle brace for added support while it continues to heal. if you have PT - go. (I did pt for three months for my shoulder. before I knew about chiros. wish I knew about chiros as it would have been faster.) I rolled my ankle a couple summers ago - and rolled it again before it had completely healed. I got a brace with cross-bracing Velcro straps. it was wonderfully supportive for my ankle. one thing my chiro had me do was "write" the alphabet several times a day with my foot. I did both print and cursive. it gets the ankle through all the motions it's supposed to be able to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 If you feel PT would help it, by all means go! It had to be nigh forty years (!) that my mother sprained her ankle when we played tennis. There are still days she can feel it, even though it healed and, of course, she is able to walk fine. You don't want to be reminded of this incident when you are in your seventies. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted March 17, 2014 Author Share Posted March 17, 2014 I went to PT for a few weeks and was given many different exercises to help strengthen it. I had many things out of whack after gimping around like you. The PT would probably be very helpful even if you don't see an orthopedist first. Do you feel like the PT helped? if this is something that happens to you regularly, it might be worth it. If you strengthen them now, you may avoid more serious injury in the future. It's NEVER happened before! The first thing I did afterwards was apologize to my friends and family who have sprained ankled, because I know I was not properly sympathetic. Yowza, it hurt. After it happened, I was lying in my basement, which was probably at about 40 degrees, sweating. I lay there for about 20 minutes before I could sit up enough to slide up the stairs on my behind. after three months? I'd also see a chiropractor as I'd be suspect your hips are also now off from limping. did you ice, elevate, and compress? if you haven't got one, you might want to also get an ankle brace for added support while it continues to heal. if you have PT - go. (I did pt for three months for my shoulder. before I knew about chiros. wish I knew about chiros as it would have been faster.) I rolled my ankle a couple summers ago - and rolled it again before it had completely healed. I got a brace with cross-bracing Velcro straps. it was wonderfully supportive for my ankle. one thing my chiro had me do was "write" the alphabet several times a day with my foot. I did both print and cursive. it gets the ankle through all the motions it's supposed to be able to do. That's a good idea about the chiro. I have never been to one before (I am not anti-chiro; I have taken two of my kids to one), but I have been feeling sore all over on occasion. That could definitely be related. Thanks, everyone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 It certainly wouldn't hurt to do some PT. I can tell you from lots of experience that it can take a very long time for a badly sprained ankle to heal. My latest sprain was this past July, and just in the last month or so it's pretty much gotten back to normal as far as range of motion and lack of stiffness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmilyGF Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 I went to a PT for about 3 months after a really bad sprain, but I still (13 years later) have some weakness on that side, even though it is my dominant side. It was the first and only time I sprained it. By the end, I was doing things like balancing on one leg and catching balls, or balancing on one leg with my eyes shut for 20 seconds. I notice the weakness when I do T-Tapp, which requires a lot of standing on one leg. I can stand much longer and stronger on my left leg. OTOH, I've never resprained it, though I have twisted it a few times. Emily Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lolly Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 Ankles take forever to heal. (I am talking a year, sometimes a few of those) PT usually doesn't hurt, but it doesn't speed healing at all. Sometimes if the ankle has tightened up too much in healing, pt can force you to loosen it faster than you would on your own. But, if you injured it in January, I would not expect it to be healed at this point. You sound about right in the process to me. Also, you will find that now that you have sprained it, it will be reinjured easier from this point forward...forever. Sorry you have had to join the bad ankle club. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kalypso Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 Do you feel like the PT helped? I felt it helped because of the things he suggested I do to strengthen it. I had looked up ifto online, but I didn't find anything helpful for my situation. The therapist also spent more time than the doctor explaining what I could expect in the long run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenn- Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 My DD severely sprained her ankle last year. I have a few choice words about the ortho that treated us. He thought I was exaggerating her injury (said so right there in his records I eventually got from him). After two weeks in a walking boot (the first of which she couldn't even get around without crutches) he had her start physical therapy. Six weeks later and nothing had gotten any better and I had to demand an MRI which he thought was overkill but he ordered it to "please the mother". Then it took the PT calling and refusing any more treatment until the MRI results were forwarded to finally get the reading on it done. The doctor was just gonna make us wait the 4 weeks he had originally said before them MRI was taken. I took my copy of the MRI to my podiatrist friend and had her take a look. Guess who had fractures in some of the small bones in her ankle and some partially torn tendons? Some of the PT exercises were actually damaging the healing process. She was told she would never again be able to walk on high toes without pain because of the pieces of bones that broke off were minor enough not to fix surgically for every day use, but for a gymnast it was big. A year later she has pretty much full use of the ankle and can kick butt in karate, but that tendon is still sore if you press on it and will probably blow out the rest of the way if she rolls it again. You need to find a good podiatrist and get the ankle seen before starting PT. Some exercises are damaging if certain injuries are present. Like when the guy was progressing with her to walking on high toe and balancing on the stabilizing ball was bad for the tendon tear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 I would go for PT. One of my ankles is a mess, and when it's bad my knees and hips get out of alignment too. I have a specific PT that always figures how to get everything back into place. In other words, I have always needed an expert in order to get it right. It isn't something I attempt on my own. And yes, go to a foot specialist. I go to an orthopedist who did three extra fellowships in feet and has written several textbooks on feet. And he was the one who said, "This PT and no other. Wait weeks for her if you have to." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mermo Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 On of the issues when the ligaments are disrupted in a sprain is the proprioceptive fibers are involved (part of the process that allows you brain to know what your ankle is doing in space without looking at it). Therefore you are less stable and more likely to sprain repeatedly. PT can assist with proprioceptive training, strengthening and range of motion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 Well, I can tell you I've skipped the PT multiple times, and my 3rd sprain included a tiny fracture in a foot bone. So skipping PT certainly didn't help me prevent re-injury! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrn Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 I sprained my ankle in mid December and did I think 5 weeks of PT. I really think it helped. I feel much more confident on my ankle now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 Definitely go to the PT. Ankles are important,. The PT's expertise will be invaluable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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