Ankle still swollen after minor sprain

[ItWasneaMe]

Got bowled over by 2 large dogs [one was mine!] on 1st July [so 3 weeks ago] and sprained my ankle. Bruised and swollen, so rested up [PRICE etc]. Now, it's still swollen and just taken a painkiller. The bruising has gone completely.

Saw physio at my GP practice at the end of last week, to confirm it wasn't broken. Not quite sure how you do that without an X-Ray?

It doesn't hurt all the time and I've been able to walk on it since day 1 [so I assumed not broken anyway] but every so often it keeps me up at night and I have to wear a compression support occasionally to ease it.

Any tips? I'd love for someone to say just run on it but that's not going to happen. I'm steeling myself to wait until the swelling has gone and have just started going back to the gym for weight training and using the elliptical for aerobic fitness.

Did the physio give you exercises? Those are the most important way to ensure it heals correctly.
Keep them up.

Get an x Ray

My ankle sprain was swollen for about three months and took 6 months until back to normal

I had a fall and sprained my ankle badly. Honestly thought it was broken the pain ! Anyways got it x-rayed same day, confirmed not broken. Nurse practitioner told me it would take at least 6 weeks to heal and not to overdo it or else healing would not be as good.

well the swelling and bruising was huge. Painful long after the bruising had gone. Used Ibuprofen gel . Read the instructions I wasn’t using nearly enough. Once I was using the correct amount it made a difference.

Tripped over my cat and severally sprained my ankle. This happened in May. Swelling, bruising and stiffness lasted for weeks. My doctor gave me some simple exercises to do to help move things along. I’m just now getting back into intense workouts

I sprained mine on 14th May and it's still swollen. The xrays confirmed it was not broken but it was only after I had an MRI that they could see I actually have two torn ligaments. An xray would not have shown that

As a veteran of many sprained ankles, it'll take a lot longer than 3 weeks to heal.

As a first aider, and a serial ankle sprainer, I'd get x rayed. You can't tell if it's broken without an x ray. Unless the bone is sticking through the skin!