Ankle sprain - help, please

[Lisa R.]

I sprained my ankle four weeks ago. I missed a step and was obviously in significant pain in that moment.. I could hobble a bit immediately afterwards. However, an hour later swellling was significant and I could no longer put weight on it. The following day was worse with regard to pain and swelling. I went to the doctor two days after the injury for an X-ray. He said there was no fracture he could see but said it seemed to hurt in an unusual spot so he said it could be a bone chip. A bone chip would simply mean a longer recovery but no additional treatment. He suggested I start walking in it as soon as I could.

 

I could put a bit of weight on it on the second day.

 

Anyway, four weeks later and it is still a bit swollen and will ache if I don't elevate from time to time during the day. As I am in the habit of jogging 3 day/week, I tried very slow jogging two weeks ago for about 15 minutes. While my ankle was staring to feel better prior to this, jogging definitely make it worse again.

 

What should I expect four weeks out? The orthopedist acted like it was all very minor. I believe he said grade 2 sprain. The bruising is almost gone but still somewhat visible. Should I try and jog through it? If it's going to be achy and slightly swollen anyway, maybe I should just exercise through it? I'm eager to start running again but don't want to lengthen recovery time.

 

Any experience?

[wapiti]

My guess would be that jogging through pain is a bad idea for the healing of the ligaments, but this is not my area of expertise.

 

FWIW, I'm right there with you.  I sprained my ankle on Friday just walking too fast down the stairs when my running shoe tread somehow caught the edge of the carpet (whoops, where'd the stairs go?).  I was worried about it being broken because I couldn't put weight on it or walk on it at all.  X-rays were apparently ok according to the PA at urgent care (though it was Friday afternoon and I don't know if something turned up when the radiologist finally checked it).  I used some old crutches on Friday - whoa that was a serious pain, the rest of me hurt more than the ankle by the next morning LOL.

 

I've been putting weight on it since Sat. morning when it started looking much better.  But, now there's a ton of bruising and the more I'm on it, the more the swelling is starting to get to me.  I'll have to actually put shoes on tomorrow when I need to be out.  Holy cow I am an old lady.

 

I have a little supplement that has helped me before, Dr Christopher's Tissue and Bone, and I started taking that right away.  Keeping my fingers crossed that the recovery is quick.  The PA had no opinion on how long it would take to recover from the sprain; she said it was highly variable.

[kbutton]

I had a sprained foot that got worse and worse, and the ortho was not nice to me (long story). Anyway, I asked the chiropractor to take a look at it. He adjusted it, and the swelling started to go down visibly before I left his office, and it got better much faster after that. 

 

If you have a chiropractor you trust, I would try going that route next.

[lmrich]

Please take a sprain seriously. I have been told that a sprain is like over stretching a rubber band. Sure, those ligaments can heal and go back, just like a stretched rubber band, BUT once they have been stretched too much, it is more likely that they will stretch out again, and again, and again until pop - it tears or breaks. 

 

I had many sprained ankles as a teen. I have had 3 surgeries now trying to repair a torn tendon. 

 

Try to staff off of it a bit longer and give it extra time to heal. RICE - rest, ice, compression, elevation.  Good luck and I hope you feel better. 

[dancingmama]

My daughter is just getting over a sprain from late last spring. She tried dancing through it some. Finally I pulled her completely for two weeks. That did the trick. Stay off it, ice, elevate, and compress when you do need to be on it. It's a pain but the less you're in it, the faster it'll heal.

[maize]

Don't jog on it, in fact avoid anything strenuous until it feels completely better.

[The Governess]

I sprained my ankle doing the exact same thing once. It was a good six months before it was completely back to normal. :(

[gardenmom5]

I'm  not impressed with your dr.  I would try a good PT.

 

one thing I would do is ankle exercises.  while sitting down - write the alphabet with your foot, multiple times a day.  it's a good range of motion exercise, and can help strengthen the muscles.