Twisted ankle 4 years ago

[Sk08]

I went to the clinic the morning it happened, and they basically told me it will be a long and slow recovery, and didn't need to come back unless it got worse.

So 4 years later its much better, but I am still bothered by it after spending some time on my feet. Its a different pain than when it got twisted. Hard to explain, but something like a numb or dull feeling concentrated on the ankle more, but spread over the entire foot.

I am curious if anyone else had something similar happen, and if it stays the same or gets worse? Anyone have an injury involving tendons that didn't heal as expected an have it looked at a few years later, and get it successfully fixed?

I am 46 and am hoping to ER in the next few years, and am thinking about switching from my employer offered high deductible insurance back to the regular insurance for a year and get the ankle looked at again, thinking maybe it didn't heal properly and possibly something can done to make it better.

 

[Jenna]

Have you taken any flouride based antibiotics in the past 4 years? Cipro etc. They can damage tendons. Search "floxed" on google. It may be related. If so-they cause mitochondria damage and you may need some alternatives for healing. Sun, extra magnesium and other things.

 

[braumeister]

Not what you wanted to hear, but here's my case:
I sprained my ankle badly while jogging. Got put in a cast up to the knee for six weeks, and when they took it off I was sorry they didn't leave it on a few more weeks.

But I pressed on, and that ankle was noticeably weaker than the other for the next 30 years. It's back to normal now, but I'm afraid that part of your body is so complicated and fragile that such an injury can sometimes take decades to fully recover.

 

[Alan]

Not what you wanted to hear, but here's my case:
I sprained my ankle badly while jogging. Got put in a cast up to the knee for six weeks, and when they took it off I was sorry they didn't leave it on a few more weeks.

But I pressed on, and that ankle was noticeably weaker than the other for the next 30 years. It's back to normal now, but I'm afraid that part of your body is so complicated and fragile that such an injury can sometimes take decades to fully recover.

Very similar story here. At age 24 badly sprained ankle playing soccer, cast and then elastic strapping for at least 6 weeks. Took about 10 years before fully recovered and back to playing pain free soccer and tennis. Moved to the USA 9 years after the injury and started swimming every day and was amazed at how much pain was still there but persevered and I think over a few weeks the old scar tissue broke up and re-healed.

 

[Sk08]

Have you taken any flouride based antibiotics in the past 4 years? Cipro etc. They can damage tendons. Search "floxed" on google. It may be related. If so-they cause mitochondria damage and you may need some alternatives for healing. Sun, extra magnesium and other things.

Thanks, but have not taken any antibiotics since the injury, but will read up on "floxed", always interested in learning something new.

 

[thod]

Oh no, this does not sound good for me.
I sprained my ankle back 4 months ago in April while jogging. It has finally gotten better to the point I can jog again. But there are times it just does not feel right, especially in the morning after waking up. I have been assuming it will continue to get better and better. But this conversation does not give me hope for the short term.

I am pretty sure my problems are the tightness of some ligaments due to being in the boot for so long. I do try to stretch them often.

 

[Sk08]

Not what you wanted to hear, but here's my case:
I sprained my ankle badly while jogging. Got put in a cast up to the knee for six weeks, and when they took it off I was sorry they didn't leave it on a few more weeks.

But I pressed on, and that ankle was noticeably weaker than the other for the next 30 years. It's back to normal now, but I'm afraid that part of your body is so complicated and fragile that such an injury can sometimes take decades to fully recover.

Thanks, that is actually reassuring. I was concerned it might get worse with age.

 

[street]

I have no valuable help other than injuries are all different and each of us heal differently. Last December I was about 2 1/2 miles back in some rough country with dead fall all over. I climbed over a log and had to leap some to clear a large log. When I landed, I came down on a snow-covered log and rolled my ankle like no other, I have ever had. I sprain ankles a lot through the years. I was back in there looking for some moose horns.

It was bad and I had to get back out of there so a long painful hike back to truck. It took till about May for it to get back to normal. The ankle now has about twice the size ankle bone and sticks out considerably more, but I healed up great. Except for the physical appearance I seem to have healed well and don't have any issues with it at all. I never did anything other than keep using it just like nothing happened just went on with everyday life and activities.

Good Luck I hope things work out for you.

 

[Ronstar]

I broke my ankle falling through the ice while ice skating 10 years ago. It took a while, but it eventually healed just fine. But I did have mild swelling for a couple of years on days when I spent all day on my feet. No pain after a few days after the break.

Later had toe/ foot surgery on the same foot and again have minor swelling after spending a lot of time on my feet. For me, foot issues eventually heal, but take a long time.

 

[REWahoo]

Major ankle sprain/torn tendons at age 24. Happened while celebrating passing my final check ride in flight school. Still recall the pain, swelling and purple bruising from my kneecap to my toes. No surgery and no cast.

I had some weakness in that ankle for probably a decade. Now, 50 years later, it will occasionally remind me of what an idiot I was when I injured it.

 

[trumpeting_angel]

Physical therapy! (It should be the best-rated one in the area. There's a lot of variability.) An excellent PT can pinpoint the problem and strengthen the muscles to improve functioning.



True story: I have sprained both ankles, sometimes quite badly, over the years. I'm in PT for a different reason now (hello, hips!) but one of the exercises simply involves going up on my toes, holding for two seconds, then back down. And later, standing on one foot, then doing the same. Three sets of ten.


After being in PT a couple of months, I missed a step and twisted my ankle. I almost cried. I'm emptying my house in preparation for selling, and I do not have a few weeks to rest! I was sure I would soon see swelling and redness. But no! I felt a only a minor twinge here and there, which went away after a couple of weeks. No sprain, no redness, no swelling, no significant pain.


You might say I didn't twist it as badly as those other times. Maybe, but I certainly believed I did. I think it was the PT. I think there are fewer sprains in my future.

 

[Aerides]

Have you had both xrays and mri? Just to make sure the injury is just a sprain/tendons.

If not, I'd get that done sooner than later.

I had a sprain in high school, and it still reminded me for several years whenever the weather got cold.

 

[Sk08]

Physical therapy! (It should be the best-rated one in the area. There's a lot of variability.) An excellent PT can pinpoint the problem and strengthen the muscles to improve functioning.



True story: I have sprained both ankles, sometimes quite badly, over the years. I'm in PT for a different reason now (hello, hips!) but one of the exercises simply involves going up on my toes, holding for two seconds, then back down. And later, standing on one foot, then doing the same. Three sets of ten.


After being in PT a couple of months, I missed a step and twisted my ankle. I almost cried. I'm emptying my house in preparation for selling, and I do not have a few weeks to rest! I was sure I would soon see swelling and redness. But no! I felt a only a minor twinge here and there, which went away after a couple of weeks. No sprain, no redness, no swelling, no significant pain.


You might say I didn't twist it as badly as those other times. Maybe, but I certainly believed I did. I think it was the PT. I think there are fewer sprains in my future.

Thanks for sharing the tip about PT and standing on toes, I will give that a try.

 

[trumpeting_angel]

Thanks for sharing the tip about PT and standing on toes, I will give that a try.

I also have a note on the mirror: "Stand on one foot" which reminds me every time I brush my teeth. Two minutes (electric toothbrush times it perfectly), morning and night. Now I incorporate going up and down, but it's a real challenge while brushing.

 

[Sk08]

Have you had both xrays and mri? Just to make sure the injury is just a sprain/tendons.

If not, I'd get that done sooner than later.

I had a sprain in high school, and it still reminded me for several years whenever the weather got cold.

They didn't do an x-ray or anything really when I went in shortly after it happened, I think they should have.

I am considering switching from high deductible insurance to standard for a year and have it looked at closer, but will try some stretches an PT that was mentioned first.

 

[Aerides]

They didn't do an x-ray or anything really when I went in shortly after it happened, I think they should have.

I am considering switching from high deductible insurance to standard for a year and have it looked at closer, but will try some stretches an PT that was mentioned first.

Well, if you don't want to wait till January, on my HD plan I pay maybe $125 for a visit/exam at my ortho surgeon. A bit more when I have an xray. MRI's run me about $200. So, even though I pay the whole thing, I still get the negotiated rate. Most docs offices should be able to tell you what to expect with your insurance.

 

[Ronstar]

I also have a note on the mirror: "Stand on one foot" which reminds me every time I brush my teeth. Two minutes (electric toothbrush times it perfectly), morning and night. Now I incorporate going up and down, but it's a real challenge while brushing.

Yep the stand on one foot pt really works. In therapy, I stood on one foot, throwing a tennis ball against a mini trampoline, and catching the rebound all while staying on one foot. Great for balance and getting strength back in the ankle.

 

[Sk08]

Well, if you don't want to wait till January, on my HD plan I pay maybe $125 for a visit/exam at my ortho surgeon. A bit more when I have an xray. MRI's run me about $200. So, even though I pay the whole thing, I still get the negotiated rate. Most docs offices should be able to tell you what to expect with your insurance.

I thought about just going in and getting the x-ray now to see if anything is wrong, but in the unlikely case that surgery would be needed, I am not sure what kind of noise the insurance would make after having it on record needing something done while under high deductible plan, and than switching plans and getting the work done.

 

[trumpeting_angel]

I thought I might mention that the other related exercises I'm doing include:

- standing holding onto a counter and raising one leg to the side. Then the other. 3 sets of 10.
- squats, with very careful attention to form, holding on to something if there are any balance issues. 30.
- marching while holding on to the counter.

 

[Sk08]

I thought I might mention that the other related exercises I'm doing include:

- standing holding onto a counter and raising one leg to the side. Then the other. 3 sets of 10.
- squats, with very careful attention to form, holding on to something if there are any balance issues. 30.
- marching while holding on to the counter.

Thanks for sharing what you are doing, I will try those also.

I just got done the standing on tip of foot method, and sure felt something going on in the ankle area.

 

[MRG]

I sprained my ankle in an odd way May 21, 2022. I say odd because it didn't swell or turn colors, didn't even hurt for several days. I ran in sandals across an open space because someone was going to set the forest on fire.

I saw urgent care, X-ray, a hand and ligament specialist, and an orthopedic surgeon who thinks I strained the ligaments, prescribed PT. I went to 4 visits before vacation and covid, it was acupuncture, ultrasound and estim and scraping the tendons. It helped some, I'll go back for another 4 visits.

 

[thod]

I was just watching a show about Evel Knievel's career.

I assume he did not know what was or was not feeling 'normal' at the end of his career.

And I was complaining about an ankle sprain.

 

[Car-Guy]

I sprained one of my ankles really bad about 5 or 6 years ago. IIRC, I used ice packs for several days but still had a lot of swelling. It didn't feel like anything was broken (as if I could really know for sure) but I toughed it out for a few weeks. Finally, I was able to walk on it okay with a limp for a few months before I was walking normally. But even after that, I walked on it very carefully for more than a year. Today it's fine.... Lucky I guess.

 

[trumpeting_angel]

Thanks for sharing what you are doing, I will try those also.

I just got done the standing on tip of foot method, and sure felt something going on in the ankle area.

Ouch! Maybe get it looked at self-pay, outside of your normal medical practice. So if you switch insurance policies, they might not be the wiser.

 

[trumpeting_angel]

Yep the stand on one foot pt really works. In therapy, I stood on one foot, throwing a tennis ball against a mini trampoline, and catching the rebound all while staying on one foot. Great for balance and getting strength back in the ankle.

Wow! I have not graduated to your league!


I read that in addition to doing something aerobic 150 minutes a week, weight training, and all the rest, we should be doing balance exercises every day once we get older! I'm in. It's a lot better than falling and getting a new lifelong pain!