Three months after a sprained ankle and still having problems :(

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I sprained my ankle and tore ligaments, couldn't walk for 5 weeks, now three months later my ankle still feels painful!

I've had physio through the NHS so they only give me exercises. I feel I need some type of massage or maybe something else like reflexology or acupuncture? Any ideas??

I really feel its not improving as it should :(

I did this four years ago and still have a weakness and limited flexibility.

Have you been continuing with the exercises? I am v lazy and find when I stop doing them for a while it gets worse again.

No quick fixes I'm afraid, unless you find one and come tell me about it!

I injured my ankle in a few years ago, slipping on the last couple of stairs whilst texting and landing awkwardly with my foot twisted under me.

Took a very long time to be fully healed, I think it was about 9 months before I could wear shoes with (small) heels and not be in agony.

I saw the GP about 6 months after it happened, and he just prescribed strong painkillers (the round pink ones, I think it's a strong dose of ibuprofen?) to take when it was particularly painful, and suggested wearing one of those tubigrip support bandages. He said there was nothing else that could be done, and that it would repair itself gradually.

Sorry, that doesn't really give you an answer. I'm just thinking that 3 months isn't very long to get over that type of injury.

Ligament damages takes ages to recover from. DH still gets trouble with his ankle 5 years after a motorcycle accident.
Going to an oestopath might help.

Can you go to a private physio, sports centres or health clubs often have them. She did wonders last time I did this but it still took about 10 weeks' worth before it felt solid and longer to be right.

I was told I had a sprained ankle. Was sore for over a year.

Turned out to be a fractured talus bone that needed surgery!

I tore my ATFL ligament on 2nd April, still getting a lot of pain now, had 2 physio sessions (one I paid for which was like magic and one through occupational health which I might as well have not attended). You have my sympathies, it's bloody awful, I'm supposed to be doing my first half marathon in September but don't see how I can manage it the way it is right now.

mehrida - i havnt been doing the exercises as much, but I have recently started working out with a persoanl trainer, which I think is aggrivating it. But I really need to loose weight at the moment.

fringe - well I have wore heels with a small heel twice now, and both times my ankle has been extremely sore for ages after. Last saturday I had heels on and my ankle is really painful even now :(

Lizs what did the private physio do differently? Did she do alot of massage? As I think it needs massage or maniluplation.

fairy oh gosh that is terrible, how did they eventually find out?

Even if i walk around shopping for example for a couple of hours it really aches after. I just cant believe it is taking alll this time to repair.

The ligaments had become very tense (could barely flex foot) so she used to ease them with massage and and gave me progressive exercises to gently stretch them - heel raises for example , holding on and with weight on both feet to begin with towards freestanding and only on injured foot, drawing circles and figures of eight etc. Very painful to start with but became easier over the weeks. I injured it just before Christmas, started physio end Jan and was skiing by Easter.

As LIZS says, a bit of massage will help ease it, but the only way it's going to get better will be by doing the exercises and stretches your physio gave you.

If you're doing a lot of running/weight bearing exercises with your PT, this is only going to make it worse.

I really feel for you, but you can't do both, putting lots of pressure on it and expecting it to heel.