Sprained ankle not getting better.

[AliMP]

I sprained my ankle the end of July. Xray OK, so diagnosed as sprain. Had another xray 10days later, but of foot not ankle. Unfortunately still swollen and painful. Needing daily regular pain relief. Having another xray of ankle tomorrow. Anyone else taken this long for a sprain to heal?

I tore ligaments in my foot and that took a long time to heal and the bruising to go. I think a severe sprain is the same as tearing ligaments

Thanks. The first time I was seen they treated as a severe sprain, but second person just said I needed to start walking on it, and it wasn't that bad. The person I saw yesterday was concerned that I was still very tender, so repeat xray tomorrow.

They can take ages - I sprained mine in January and it's still not fully healed!

Have you had physio?

I had physio on a badly sprained ankle. Took months to heal!

Could you pay to have a private MRI, you can self refer and it will show what the problem is . Soft tissue injuries do take months to heal.

Has there not been an MRI? You could very well have torn a ligament and that requires lots of rest. I tore a ligament in my ankle three years ago and was told at the time that I could expect proper healing to take 12 months - and it did!

Of course there's millions of other problems in the world but people also have their own problems. What a strange thing to say.

I had this in January, thought it was a sprain, 2 months later still no better, too painful to run and a scan showed it was tendinitis. I used green clay, had some physio sessions, in April was able to run again. It's still a little swollen, though!

whorebornin94

Wow. Thanks for your reply. I am not on AIBU! I am a paediatric nurse, so well aware people are far worse off than me. However, I have an injury which isn't healing, and is impacting on my ability to work. I was just asking if other people had experienced the same issues with a sprain.

No MRI yet. Injury happened abroad. Seen in Minors on return. Only approached Gp this week, as didn't want to make a fuss, but struggling with pain.

Nasty unhelpful comment.

Anyway, I had similar 4 years ago. After six months I got an mri and I did actually have a fracture and also a torn peroneal tendon. In the past 4 years I’ve been in plaster cast twice, been on crutches for months, had to sell my car because I can’t drive, struggle to walk, had an operation, further scans, still got a torn tendon, and tendonosis. Considering selling my house and getting a bungalow as can barely manage stairs. Am waiting for another operation.

hopefully yours won’t be anywhere near as bad but do push for further investigations if you think it’s not right. Saying that soft tissue /ligament damage can take ages to heal. Have you seen a good physio?

so yeah for me it has been terrible…..I do obviously also feel bad about child poverty. 😉

I had a sprain as a teenager that took about 3 months to recover from - sorry - hope yours improves soon

@whorebornin94 reported for sheer bloody unkindness.
OP that looks really sore and swollen, I hope it gets better soon.

Oh how awful for you. I hope things improve for you. Xx

Nurse practitioner mentioned ultrasound first, but not sure why. U think MRI more useful.

Physio appointment end of October

An ultrasound will pick up tendon and ligament problems. If those are ruled out, next stop MRI, if nothing there then scintigraphie to check for tiny bone fractures.

Thank you.

Hmmm I fell and hurt my hand last October. Went to a and e as suspected it was broken, had x rays and was declared as just a sprain. In December I received a letter saying oops! Sorry, you’ve actually broken three bones in you hand. But never mind. It’s taken nearly a year to regain full mobility in that hand.
I would see why the next x ray says and then push for investigations as pp have suggested. Don’t be nice about it like I stupidly was.

Yes that is my worry. Especially as they didn't xray ankle on return to UK because I didn't seem in pain. I got to 8 cm dilated before anyone believed I was in labour. I guess I have a high pain threshold

Oh god I fell and hurt my ankle today. It’s so sore but haven’t had it looked at. This thread is scaring me though maybe I’ll go to minor injuries tomorrow!

I hurt my ankle at the start of July, but I could only rest it for one day. It was fine to walk on the next day (sore but not impossible) but it’s still not right almost 3 months later. Long walks or standing for a day mean it’s throbbing the next day. I’m too afraid to run on it. I haven’t been to a doctor or physio or anything, but this thread is making me think I should do something about it!

Hope we both recover soon OP.

Worth trip.to mino