sprained ankle

[yippee1999]

So I'm pretty sure I sprained my ankle...I'd never done so before, but I guess if you fall/trip and your ankle is then sore, you probably sprained it right? :smile:

It never looked bruised. It never got swollen. But it was very sore for like the first two days afterwards. Then it seemed better, but now once again, 8 days after I tripped, it's hurting again.

I can walk on it, but it's sore. When I bend my foot or rotate my ankle in certain ways, it hurts.

I'd heard that if your ankle is still sore after a week, that you should go to a doctor...that sometimes people can be walking around just fine, not realizing that they are in fact doing more damage to themselves. Is that right?
And which type of doctor should I see...a podiatrist or an orthopedist?

I've been wearing an ace bandage most of the time. I haven't danced at all since the injury, but naturally plan/hope to soon (social salsa dancing).

CAN one still dance (salsa) with a sprained ankle? Thankfully I sprained my left ankle and not my right, which is obviously the foot on which I do most of my turns...

Any other thoughts/suggestions?

Thanks all!

[DancingShoes]

yippee,
So sorry about your ankle. I'm an RN and it's a good sign you've had no bruising this long after the injury. That usually indicated a BAD sprain. You're at the point that warm treatments can help, however if the pain continues, please have it X-rayed. Lots of swelling usually points to soft tissue damage. Persistent pain without much swelling may indicate a fracture. "Doc, it hurts when I do this", "Then, don't do that". Check it out dear.

[Nybz]

If it really is just a sprain you won't be doing anymore damage to it unless you somehow get into a really bad position again. It may be painful but it is very difficult to damage it more. If it is a minor break, however, I would say stay off of it. You really should go to a doctor to check, either podiatrist of orthopedic would be fine.
Also, have you been icing or raising the ankle at all? If not, that may help you a little, as well as taking an Ibuprofen for the pain.
It sounds like a sprain to me, but you should probably err on the side of caution and see a doctor.

[etp777]

Walk it off! :)

[yippee1999]

Thanks all! Guess I'll go ahead and make an appt w/the orthopedist....

:-)

[Dance808]

After you see your doctor, you may consider a chiropractor.

Over a year ago I left a long dance practice and stepped in a sprinkler hole leaving the studio. I rolled my foot & ankle, and I thought it was a sprain that never healed properly because I was left with pain in the middle of my foot (that reverberated UP the ankle but didn't start there). I spent a lot of time seeing doctors, doing physical therapy etc and they produced no results. Then I mentioned it to my chiropractor. One very simple adjustment and the pain was gone.

[TAK]

For sprains in general: RICE! Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation.

I was an accident-prone kid, and I did gymnastics & dance, so I have had my share of sprains (:

[Joe]

Are you sure it's a sprain and not a strain? :)

[dlgodud]

Usually go to Acupuncturist

[yippee1999]

Update: well today it's like day 13 after I first tripped. And just yesterday for some reason, I realized that in fact I DO have swelling. I don't know if it was there all along, or if for some reason it only swelled recently (which would be odd no?) I think the reason I didn't notice the swelling before was....

Last night I was really comparing my two ankles, and I noticed on my good foot, the ankle bones protrude on the inside and outside sides. On the bad foot, the bones don't "appear" to be protruding ...they certainly aren't "pointy" like the other ankle...and I realized that they don't appear to be protruding, because there is swelling around the bones that is making them appear more smooth/flat.

I saw an orthopedist just to be safe and he said I was "fine"...that I didnt' need to wear my ace bandage...

In the meantime, it still hurts at times....sometimes it throbs a bit...other times it almost feels like (and maybe I'm just imagining this...) ...like the vertical bone running up the outside of my ankle to my leg...like there's a splint or something in there pushing up into the bone...

Is it common that a sprained ankle would be slightly swollen 13 days later?

And does anyone know in what instances they give you one of those big black shoe/boots to walk in...for a fracture/break? My instinct is that if it's hurting me and it's swollen, that I should be doing everything I can to keep weight off it. Or is the ankle just designed to heal regardless, seeing as we obviously have little choice BUT to walk on them? :-)

Are there any exercises I should be doing? Massage?

Thanks all!

[Nybz]

Did the doc x-ray or just looked at it? anyway if you still have swelling you can try and ibuprofen and to rest you foot elevated, I don't know if ice would really help you much at this point.
As for exercises you can do some simple calf raises and toe raises. If possible get something like an elastic band and have someone hold it in front of you as you sit down with you leg extended straight. You then flex you toe towards your self. Then position the band to the right side, the left side, and hold it your self and pull away from the tension of the band. You should do that about 10 time for three sets several times a day.

Also as long as there is not actual bone damage, the only harm in walking or using the ankle a lot with a sprain is just some more swelling. A sprain is a stretched ligament and unless you really put yourself into a compromising situation it won't stretch more

[yippee1999]

Thanks Nybz. The doc didn't do an x-ray. Just looked at my feet, and then had me press my foot into his hand, in different directions.....

[kathyt cupcake]

Thanks Nybz. The doc didn't do an x-ray. Just looked at my feet, and then had me press my foot into his hand, in different directions.....

You might find this article on ankle strength helpful as well:
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/08/how-to-fix-bad-ankles/?em

This would probably help anyone who has a tendency to sickle or roll their ankles outwards in their heels as well.

[QPO]

For sprains in general: RICE! Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation.

I was an accident-prone kid, and I did gymnastics & dance, so I have had my share of sprains (:

This is the same advice I would offer.....and if not better see a doctor to make sure there is no underlying injury

[QPO]

strapping it while training for awhile may help, but don't wear the strap all the time and definitely not too bed..