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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think nobody recovers fully from an ankle injury?

47 replies

LuvMyBoyz · 22/02/2018 09:28

I sprained my ankle badly on the 3rd of February. Since then I have read up about how to help recover and I have a physiotherapist appointment today. But it seems to be all doom and gloom and once it’s been injured it will never recover. Please reassure me if you have had an ankle injury and have never had it bother you again.

OP posts:

Mishappening · 22/02/2018 10:21

I sprained my ankle so badly that it ripped two of the bones in my foot apart. I was in plaster for about 5 months; and one of the fractures has never healed.

I declined major surgery to fuse all the bones in my foot together as the outcomes are known to be poor and the recovery time very long.

I walk with a stick some of the time as I cannot weight-bear when walking through my foot. I also have balance problems as the injury buggered up the foot to brain messages.

I would strongly recommend that anyone with a foot/ankle injury asks to be assessed by a specialist rather than a general orthopaedic surgeon (who in my case failed to diagnose one of the fractures).

JaneEyre70 · 22/02/2018 10:24

I sprained my ankle last year, and it took a good 8 weeks to heal properly. I'm a keen walker and it nearly killed me not being able to get out of the house!! It's a lot better now, but I do make sure that I wear very supportive shoes when walking, and I do get the odd day where I can feel it's uncomfortable. At 47 though, I'm not surprised and most of the time it is completely fine. I found a good ankle support really helped, and seemed to keep the swelling at bay. And take arnica tablets.

MinesaBottle · 22/02/2018 10:25

I sprained mine badly and tore a ligament about six months ago. It still aches a bit from time to time but on the whole it's pretty much back to normal. I did everything recommended by doctor and physio and I think it's ok now - maybe a little weaker but not really something I notice. I still haven't tried wearing heels though!

UnisexChipshop · 22/02/2018 10:30

I have sprained my ankles probably 8 times. I have very poor balance (family trait) so stumble a lot.

I have noticed the healing takes longer as I'm aging - 6 weeks was plenty in my 20s, but it's more like 6 months to a full recovery nowadays (aged 40). The exercises definitely help though.

cochineal7 · 22/02/2018 10:30

I tore the ligaments in my ankle reallly badly 20 years ago. Was on crutches for weeks. Had intensive physical therapy for a few months and that helped immensely. Even then, I still felt it for years after, and had some restricted movement (funnily enough worse in some weather). Also never felt comfortable in heels afterwards. Only now do I feel all effects are gone, although I have out of habit given up heels.

cochineal7 · 22/02/2018 10:31

Broke my foot bone 3 years ago; healed much, much faster.

rickandmorts · 22/02/2018 10:32

I sprained my ankle over a year ago and it's never been the same again, sorry OP!

fleshmarketclose · 22/02/2018 10:36

Badly broken ankle 25 years ago, I still have restricted movement and pain when it's cold and damp.

4teensandababy · 22/02/2018 10:39

I had a netball injury back in June on my ankle. Went to the hospital - they took several X-Rays before the Nurse Practitioner told me it was a sprain. Told me to do rehab and physio etc - which I did.

12 weeks later it was still so painful, so I went back to see my GP who referred me back to the hospital.
They then decided to do an MRI to see how bad the ligament damage was.

At the end of September I went back to get the results to be told that I have fractured my heel bone (Calcaneus), and part of the bone has come away. Due to the fact I'd been doing exercise and physio it hadn't allowed the fracture to heal and made it much worse.
I'm now having surgery next week to repair the damage done.

Ligaments take time, but if it's still bad in a few weeks I recommend going back to get a referral. Some ligament injuries need surgery to repair too.

superbeans · 22/02/2018 10:39

My mum had an ankle injury two years ago and hasn't recovered. She walks with a stick and ankle support brace now and had to give up work, is claiming PIP and has a blue badge. She was in her 50s though, I think it must be harder to recover when you're older. Would be interested in hearing about what has helped others - she's had tons of physio and acupuncture already (she's not keen on surgery).

Verbena37 · 22/02/2018 10:39

I badly sprained /they think tore ligaments 4 weeks ago today. I fell down the last few stairs carrying a lot of stuff.
Today, I can walk ok on it a long as I’m careful and can go downstairs one at a time. It defo doesn’t feel stable though and as soon ASD I put any weight over it, it shoots a lateral pain around the whole ankle.

Compared to last week though, when I was still using crutches, it feels much improved. I’m not planning to have physio but will have to if it doesn’t regain full movement.

beepthemeep · 22/02/2018 10:40

Don't forget what you read online will be skewed, OP. People who've recovered fully aren't posting about it online; they're not thinking about it.

Fingers crossed you're one of them!!

grannytomine · 22/02/2018 10:41

One of my kids had a fracture of the ankle when young. We were advised to do lots of swimming, he became a very good swimmer. Having a check up sometime later the doctor said take him skating. That finished off his "physio" and he has never had a problem with his ankle since. Doctor advised exercise rather than physio (maybe saving NHS money?) but it worked for my son.

Unicornsandrainbows3 · 22/02/2018 10:44

I ripped my archiles as a teen and the ankle is still weak today. Doesn't cause me too many issues though thankfully.

RoyalBelum · 22/02/2018 10:45

After a bad sprain, it took me nearly a year to use it properly, and 2 years to forget there ever was a problem. It does recover, but it feels forever and it needs to rest properly and to be cautious for awhile.

strawberriesaregood · 22/02/2018 11:12

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

LuvMyBoyz · 22/02/2018 14:26

Thanks everyone. Some good advice and reassuring stories here. Physio has given me loads of exercises and told me how far to walk etc. Will be taking it easy for a few months but am determined to get back to normal. You’ve really helped.

OP posts:

lljkk · 22/02/2018 14:49

Ah, I may know a bit about this. Can't remember source, but it's true when I talk to many people.

If you have a significant ligament injury before the age of 19 (sprained ankle, whiplash, dislocated joint...), you are probably at risk of repeat injury in that area for the rest of your life. It's something to do with skeleton growth not being complete.

Ligament injuries after about age 19 are much more likely to fully recover & not put you at repeat risk.

BunsforTea · 22/02/2018 14:59

Anecdotal I know, but in my experience broken ankles seem to heal better than sprains and the like.

DH broke his ankle several years ago and needed a plate and pins put in. They were removed a year afterwards and his ankle gives him no trouble at all now, despiting having had virtually no physio. Same with my cousin.

A friend with a sprain needed months of physio to put it right again and it still plays her up periodically.

anonirat · 22/02/2018 16:58

Yes is not all doom and gloom OP! Depends on the location and severity and whether it is tendons or ligaments. As a rule, ligaments take longer to heal and are generally more fragile afterwards.

I damaged ligaments in my ankle really badly some years ago falling off a ledge. It took a long time to heal fully but it is fine for most things now but easily aggravated if I mis-step or twist it in a certain way. But with rest it recovers easily enough.

If your can keep up your general fitness that will help your balance and dexterity (what is the word for foot-dexterity?!) Proprioception maybe?!

And be patient! It is a huge mistake to rush your recovery, esp if ligament damage. Treat yourself like an valuable racehorse and you be glad of it in a few years!

Mymouthgetsmeintrouble · 22/02/2018 17:10

I have broken both my ankles at different times , one is permanently bigger than the other so much so that when i had my first baby the midwife didnt bother asking why one leg was bigger than the other and wrote that i had oedema in my notes , the other looks normal i dont have any issues at all although recovery does take months

UsernameInvalid66 · 22/02/2018 17:27

I've never had a serious ankle injury myself but I have heard a few stories from people I've known. The main conclusions I've drawn from those are:

Ligament injuries tend to take longer to heal than broken bones, though there are exceptions

how long it takes exactly varies a lot and is to some extent the luck of the draw

it's good to do your physio and get walking again as soon as you can, people who were very hesitant took longer to get back to normal.

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