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Ankle swollen and sore after 3 months

Posted , 5 users are following.

sarah47204
sarah47204

Sorry for the long post! 

About 6 months ago I fell down stairs and badly sprained my ankle and grazed just above it which left me with cellulitis, I was put on antibiotics for a month with 8 trips to a&e/ my local doctors! My cellulitis seemed to heal okay after the course of antibiotics along with my ankle but there is still a visible dent/slight discolouration where I had the cellulitis. 

About 3 months ago I went over on my ankle again, it swelled instantly but after a few hours I could walk on it with a slight discomfort. I never bothered getting any X-rays or going to the doctors as i had been so much the time before. 3 months on and my ankle is just as swollen, especially on the outside on the bone, I can walk on it fine but sometimes get a shooting pain when walking or if I move it too fast. I can only bend it so far to the side and when sitting with my legs crossed, putting weight on the outside of my ankle is really sore. 

Is this normal and part of the healing process or should I go see about it? I don’t want to waste dr’s time and is the dent/discolouration normal after cellulitis? 

Again sorry for the long post and I hope this makes sense. 

Thanks 

0 likes, 5 replies

5 Replies

  • sharon101417
    sharon101417 sarah47204

    Posted

    I would see an ortho doc and get xrays or whatever they suggest.  A reinjury can be worse than the original injury.
  • aly160
    aly160 sarah47204

    Posted

    Get an ultrasound and/or MRI to rule out torn ligaments. Mine were torn and I was told to move for 3 months before I was casted. Now 2 months later, and 3 weeks post cast, I'm numb and get shooting pains. I'm feeling helpless. 

  • CarolynCL
    CarolynCL sarah47204

    Posted

    Your injury account sounds remarkably like my experience immediately after falling and fracturing my fibula below the ankle joint (Weber A). It swelled rapidly and dramatically on the outside. I was able to walk after 45 minutes or so, very gingerly and carefully. I walked over 4 kilometers on it as my fall occurred in the back country (that was on rough terrain - at the end I had to climb up a muddy hill in the dark). I also drove myself home (3 hour drive). You can walk and drive with a stable ankle fracture.

    I was convinced it was a sprain so was very surprised to be told I had fractured it when I went to the ER the next day. I needed a slab cast and was NWB for a total of 4 weeks (originally was going to be 6, but I was doing really well so my ortho doc ok'd earlier weight bearing for me).

    I'd go get x-rays to rule out a fracture and then go for additional diagnostic tests to figure out what's going on.

  • sarah47204
    sarah47204

    Posted

    Thank you everyone, I’ve got an appointment with my doctor later on so with any luck I’ll get to the bottom of it soon x
  • sara89988
    sara89988 sarah47204

    Posted

    Hi Sarah,

    How did your appt go with the doc?  I fractured my fibula just above the ankle joint and thought it was just a sprain so walked on it for a week before getting it X-ray’d.  Did you get you get an X-ray done?

     

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