Any tips to help my sprained ankle heal please?

[harassedandherbug]

I sprained my ankle about 10 days ago, and I've had it confirmed at our Minor Injuries Unit.

It's still agony though! The problem being that I haven't, and won't have for a couple of weeks, any time to put it up. We're moving on Saturday, doing it ourselves, I'm packing as dh works long hours, have a 15wk old ebf ds plus 5yr old dd and we're currently living in a 3 storey house. It's a bit busy at the moment.....

If you have any suggestions or tips that would be great. Thanks.

Are you using a pressure bandage on it? Only wear it during the day and take it off at night. At night put a pillow under the injured ankle in bed so it is slightly elevated and treat it with an ice pack for 20 mins or so when you do get the chance to sit down and put your feet up.

Also take anti-inflammatory painkillers such as ibuprofen to help with pain and control swelling.

If it's swollen lie on your back with your bum against the foot of the wall and your legs up the wall directly above your hips to help drain fluid. Also sleep with pillow under your leg

It's not swollen at all, nothing to see at all! Just very sore...

I do have a support bandage, will see if I can get a better quality one. I'm not sure about ibuprofen and bf'ing. I'll have a google.

Thank you!

Very interesting post. There is increasing evidence that even without swelling you can have a significant ankle sprain, despite clinical evidence. If you can weight bear fine, carry on through the pain barrier. If not it's sometimes worth getting stress Xrayto determine any laxity I.e. a Grade 2/3 ankle sprain which can sometimes be improved by surgery. I would hasten to add that the vast majority of ankle sprains can be treated conservatively! Support bandages don't do a great deal of good, but can provide psychological support.

Keep flexing it as much as you can bear - write letters in the air with your toes ! - but keep weight off as much as possible. Worst thing I did last time was shove my foot in a boot and try to carry on, it seized up on me a few weeks down the line. Took months of physio to be right again. Good luck with the move.

I can weight bear, so don't think its that bad. I thought it had eased up yesterday, but then realised I was walking on the outside of my foot. So I've been slow but v conscious of how I'm walking.

Unfortunately I can slow down yet. Moving on Saturday. In the rain apparently...