Ankle hurts and increase in swelling

Posted , 5 users are following.

I broke my left fibula ankle 8 weeks ago, was in plaster for 5 weeks and just stopped wearing the boot. My ankle was doing really well and had no swelling at all. Now I am trying to walk on it without crutches and have been doing really well, but my foot is now really swollen and hurts when I walk. I'm on painkillers again and have been moisturising daily.

Has anyone else experienced this and is there anything else I can do to reduce swelling and pain? Thank you.

0 likes, 5 replies

5 Replies

  • Posted

    I'm sorry to hear of your set back. You must listen to your body and respect what it is telling you<G>. In other words ease up!

    All the best. Richard

  • Posted

    I'm sure you already know but the best things for your swelling is ice and elevation. You have to get your ankle above your heart for it to really help though.

    I recently experienced the same problem when I began walking without the boot and crutches. My physical therapist told. me it is completely normal and expected. The ankle needs time to adjust. As Richard said, listen to your ankle. Take it a bit easier. My therapist said that some pain is good for healing but a lot of pain is bad and can impede progress.

    Good luck

  • Posted

    Hi Kerry

    Yes, once you start walking without support around your foot and ankle it does swell. I used koolpac bandages twice a day (they work like an ice pack), and I bought an ankle brace from the Physioroom website for a bit of extra support. In my case it took a couple of weeks, then I started walking easier. After four months my foot and ankle still ache after a lot of walking. It is a slow recovery so take it easy.

    Best wishes

    Diane

  • Posted

    Thanks everyone.

    I did a stupid thing today, walked to far within my work place. Broke down when got back to my desk. Now have foot elevated and pain killers. When I get home will put some ice on it and take it more easy.

    Very frustrating this injury, but I'm realising I must slow down again.

  • Posted

    My massage therapist friend said a good way to help swelling go down is lie on bed or floor with legs up the wall, massage back of knee and swollen area while it is up. This stimulates drainage of the lymphatic system. Then ice of course. It works pretty good for me. Look up legs up the wall yoga pose, it's basically that with massage.

    Good luck!

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.