Sprained ankle 7 weeks ago and still hurts

[WonderMum2018]

I sprained my ankle 7 weeks ago Saturday, it took a while before I could walk 2-3 weeks then I used crutches for a few days. Well I'm on the 8th week now and my ankle still hurts and I don't mean a little bit I mean it hurts sometime more then it did when I done it. I still can't walk up the stair unless I tiptoe up them, I can't walk down them unless I walk down sideways one step at a time or backwards. After driving for 15-20 mins i hurts for the rest of the day, it still swells up. I did go back to the doctors after 3 weeks and they said it's all normal and it will start to get better, my family are telling to go back to the doctors but is it worth it for them to say it will heal in time ? I have posted pictures for you to see.

What is best ? Wait a few more weeks ? Or go to the doctors again ?

First picture in original post is an hour after 2nd is 5 days later, 3rd is

my fat finger posted before I could finish sorry **

3rd picture is 7/8 days later and the 2 picture in the reply the 1st was 3 weeks after and the 2nd was 4 weeks after and still swelling up, sometimes it hurts to wear socks.

I sprained mine about 3 years ago and it still hurts.

Ouch, have you had an x-ray to rule out a fracture?

Wow, do it hurt every day? And do you still have a limp ? I hope mine isn't that long, for me not to be able to walk and do the things I use to is getting me down, Iv had to slow down a lot and it is stressing me out big time, I was the one that walked a mile in front of everyone now I'm a mile behind them all 

I also sprained mine a couple of years ago and mine still hurts.
GP says it takes a long time to heal - he's not wrong!

Yes I had an X-ray and I went back to a&e 10 days later and they just said it's a bad sprain. Did give me another X-ray and signed me off work for 2 weeks 

I fell off a kerb, I couldn't walk properly for a month, though I could stand on it.

These days it aches regularly and if I walk for too long I need a stick to help. If I try to walk for over 10 miles (I used to go for very long hikes) then I have to use my walking pole.

You need to strengthen it. Ask to me referred to physio once all the bruising is gone.
I sprained mine years ago and it started hurting a lot again recently. Doctor said I should have had physio at the time so I had to now. Doing the exercises is really helping.
You can self refer to physio in my area. You might be able to where you live too.

I did this. They only found the break when I broke it again (due to poor treatment the first time) 3 years later. At this point the original break could be seen. I cannot tell you how important it is to go back and keep going back. If any breakups suspected it should be treated as one and you should have a soft walking boot. It affected my life dramatically and was agony and swelled for years. Get a orthopaedic boot and wear it! More x rays!!

I severely sprained my ankle when I was 4 (fell off a climbing wall) and 30 years later the ankle still flares up if I have had a minor roll / land on it funny (probably didn't help I played hockey for many years). Been in and out of physio for years.

I've just had to learn to live with it, I just self strap the ankle or put in a ankle support whenever it is painful to walk on, and I continue to exercise it.

I sprained mine 3 months ago and it still isn’t right, though not as bad as yours. Going upstairs is OK but the ankle bend going down is an issue. I definitely did the sideways one step at a time for a good while, now graduating to a sort of hop to avoid bending the bad ankle too much.

I think I will book an appointment, defo worth seeing doctor again. I have try to hop down the stairs but not managing at the moment. I really hope it don't go on for years like a lot of yours have. You poor things, I feel bad for you all ☹️ I have never hurt myself before so I am finding it really hard to deal with. Not being able to do what I use to be able to do. I was always young at heart, like the female version of Peter Pan, but since and having to slow down I feel old, older then I am 😔

I sprained mine a few months ago, it took about 3 months to heal. I found a proper ankle support helped me a lot (not walking isn't an option for me).

It will never fully heal. Ive sprained both ankles 4 times, and im on the sofa right now with another sprain🙄

During the winter it hurts, if i wak on uneven ground (like a dirt tracj) i get twinges.

I suggest you try physio? You can self refer.

I find I keep going over on the same ankle now. I must have weakened it.
I wear ankle boots a lot, which give support and help a lot, or sometimes a support sock.

I sprained my ankle just over 12 months ago and it's still not right. I did have some physio but to be honest didn't find it that helpful. It is getting better very very slowly but I don't think it will ever be right.

Thank you all again, you have all been so helpful 😀

You need to see an orthopaedic, preferably orthopaedic surgeon.

With the duration of symptoms and that pattern of bruising I'd be thinking about a peroneal tendon rupture...

Escapetothemoon

"it will never fully heal"

This is total nonsense. I'd be very interested to know what you're basing that statement on...

Please go back and insist on further investigation. I agree with a PP that that amount of swelling and bruising suggests you may have a rupture rather than just a sprain.
I broke my ankle and was struggling for months (after the initial 6 weeks in a brace) trying to walk on it and do basic physio. They had missed a serious ligament rupture which changed the treatment. It’s now almost a year but in the last 2 months since getting a correct diagnosis and treating it properly I have had a massive improvement.
A couple of things that I was only told 8 months after the injury and might be helpful to know:
If it’s still actively swelling/hot to touch and painful (rather than aching) you still have active inflammation. Go back to rest/ice/elevation/antiinflammatories.
If using ibuprofen gel use a tiny amount and rub in, then more and rub in, then more and rub in until no more will be absorbed - you need to work it into the deeper tissues.
I used strapping like this www.amazon.co.uk/Beskey-Adjustable-Breathable-Material-Comfortable/dp/B06WGT8461?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_1&tag=mumsnetforum-21#immersive-view_1541026575517 after trying quite a few and found it really supportive while still being able to wear my shoes.
The main thing which helped mine heal was rest, like really really strict rest, I did nothing for 3 or 4 weeks. It was boring and inconvenient but i think it allowed everything to settle properly so it could start to heal, before that I kept reinjuring it.
I hope you feel better soon.

I agree with PP, go back to the doctor, ask for physio, and referral to specialist and MRI if no improvement after 3 months. My 'bad sprain' was major cartilage damage (talar dome fracture) which was made worse by walking on it for 9 months when I needed surgery. The damage wasn't spotted by the GP on my x-Ray and was only picked up by an orthopaedic surgeon. I've now had 3 surgeries and have no cartilage left. I'm in pain every day day and need a fusion or a total ankle replacement. Please push for more help! If you have health insurance through work or anything, now is the time to use it.

Back in February, I tripped down the stairs and had a bad ankle sprain, which the MRI showed was a completentear through the anterior tibiofibular ligament - which takes far longer to heal than most ligament injuries

I also tore other ligaments, but not all the way through and damaged nearby tissue too.

I used the Aircast A60 brace from day 1, approved by my orthopaedic specialist, plus crutches the first few weeks

What massively helped was after about 4 weeks, when the foot and ankle were still very swollen
was that my specialist recommended lymph drainage massage to get rid of the excess fluid there

I booked 6 sessions - 2 or 3 per week - with the gym masseuse, who had special qualifications to do lymph drainage massage (That's essential)
(German) health insurance covers all this as standard
The swelling was right down the day after the first massage and after the 3rd or 4th, there was no swelling left.

WonderMum It was brilliant and I thoroughly recommend this treatment.

This removed all the pain, except for twinges in the first few weeks, when I walked down stairs
I also did light resistance exercises after 4 weeks, building up gradually
From week 1, I kept working all the other muscles in the gym (while sitting) to retain strength everywhere else.

The ankle was painfree 6 weeks after the accident, when I was able to drop the crutches completely and start cycling to work again.

One bit of the ankle still occasionally aches after a tough gym session involving a lot of twisting and lunging, but that's all.
I was told it takes at least 12 months for that kind of ligament injury to be 100% again, because the internal scar tissue is probably a weaker area for at least this long

Go back to the doctor first of course, but if they have no further suggestions, then A60 aircast and lymph drainage massage