Dd (10) sprained ankle is this advice correct?

[Carrie5608]

Dd age 10 hurt her ankle on Saturday. She was really in pain and was almost is shock shivering etc so I took her to A&E as i was worried it was a fracture. They x-rayed it and said it was just badly bruised. They put Tubigrip on and said to keep it on for 3-5 days.
However it is still really painful she can't put any weight on it at all. Is this normal? I really feel it would need heavier strapping.
Should I take her to the GP tomorrow or wait a few more days? she had a fractured arm a few years ago from falling of her bika d it didn't seem to as painful as this.

Is her ankle swollen? As they've xrayed it, there are definitely no breaks or fractures?
It's only been two days, yes it's going to be sore for a few more days but get her to try and put weight on it as well
Keep it rested and elevated, Ice pack it if it's really swollen

Hope she's feeling better soon

I sprained mine over Christmas and I had the same advice from doctors.

It was about 2 weeks until I could put any sort of pressure on my ankle, even now it still hurts.

Hope she feels better soon

Sprains can in fact take longer to heal than breaks.

Because it's not broken, having it strapped and kept still isn't necessary. She actually wants to start moving it around a bit after a few days so that the muscles, tissue and ligaments (which are probably stretched or damaged) don't seize up.

It will hurt though, give her painkillers.

I did it 3 times as a child/teen and it took a good 8 weeks to be better, but I still have a weak ankle. I have broken plenty of bones that have healed quicker and been less painful!

Sprains can be more painful and take longer to heal than breaks. The advice was sound. Keep it rested and then start gentle Eccercise after about 4-5 days.

FYI compression does diddly squat for sprains. Tubigrip is applied in hosptial usually because there isn't anything you can actually do for a sprain but people like to see something has been done.

But the advice wasn't really right in that she isn't going to be back to her usual activities in 3-5 days. I am wondering if I should get her some crutches as she can't put it down at all. She is off school today but is just back after a chest infection. The HT won't be happy and neither am I really she can't afford more time off she is in year 5.

and I have a million and one things to do today

How exactly did she injure it?

I was once in a similar situation, went to A&E, they X-rayed and sent me home as nothing broken.

I was in terrible pain, could not step at all and the hopping around on the other leg was making it worse.

I eventually saw a sport trauma specialist through a friend and it turned out to be a torn ligament. I think I had torn 2 and badly stretched one. I had to have surgery on the ankle and was in a cast for six weeks but recovered 100%.

The thing is, they can not see soft tissue damage on x-Ray, only on a special scanner.

Disclaimer - I am not in any way medically qualified, just sharing personal experience.

She went over on it playing a game. I didn't see it but it was on grass. I phoned A&E this morning and they rechecked the xRay and said it was fine but if no better in a week they will re Xray her. Dh is picking up some crutches for her tomorrow.