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Lateral ankle pain and swelling for 4 months

Posted , 7 users are following.

Sillyamby
Sillyamby

Hi. 

I was running in a car was in February and ended up landing on my right ankle with the sole of my shoe faceing inwards. I got up and ran to my friend but ended up getting extremely light headed and sick feeling. It passed and I continued about my day and went to work in a lot of discomfort. 

The swelling and bruising was massivefor a few weeks after but as the bruising has long left, it’s still badly swollen over the ankle bone. I can’t bend it down it’s basically at a standing position. I can’t walk on uneven surfaces at all and the pain is full and aches most of the time. I can’t run or jump without a lot of pain. 

I’ve hurt ankles before but never have I had anything close to this level of discomfort and long lasting. Most sprains heal within a week for me  but this has gotten crazy. 

Any ideas on what the issue is? 

0 likes, 16 replies

16 Replies

  • caroline0774
    caroline0774 Sillyamby

    Posted

    Hi.  I did something similar in October ‘17, and am still in pain, puffy ankle and unable so walk on uneven surfaces without wearing a brace.

    I have seen a specialist and I have torn my peroneal tendon, snapped the anterior talo fibular ligament, shattered the end of my fibular and possibly snapped my deltoid ligament.  Am having surgery in July to mend tendon, remove bone shards and fit an internal brace into ankle.

    Make sure you keep an eye on your ankle and if any signs of instability go and get it checked.  Ligaments can’t mend themselves if broken leaving instability.

    • Sillyamby
      Sillyamby caroline0774

      Posted

      Wow. And you could walk? That sounds weirdly like mine. It’s like a 2/10 for pain normally then sometimes like a 6. I may go get this checked. It seems odd it won’t heal and the swelling won’t subside at all
    • caroline0774
      caroline0774 Sillyamby

      Posted

      Yep, was just like a bad twisted ankle.  I did go to a&e and they just put me in a walking boot, but when the boot came off I can walk on it fine it just doesn’t feel stable. After the initial twist had recovered it really doesn’t hurt, just a dull ache after I have been walking on it a lot.  Took x-ray, mri and 4 different drs over 3 months only to discover What the problem was.  Good luck 

    • caroline0774
      caroline0774 heidi20884

      Posted

      It’s an arthrex ankle brace.  It looks like a bit of string attaching your foot to your leg, basically where the ligament is, it’s screwed in.  Stops the ankle from twisting.
    • caroline0774
      caroline0774 Alley2020

      Posted

      Yes the MRI showed the problem, however, the first DR said it was fine and just a break.  Took 2 more hospital appointments for the consultant to say it was to complicated for them and referred me to the top UK ankle surgeon in London and I was able to get a full diagnosis.
    • Alley2020
      Alley2020 caroline0774

      Posted

      Thank you.  Guess you have to be persistent these days for them to notice

      you have a problem.

  • MsCamboot
    MsCamboot Sillyamby

    Posted

    Hi.

    Could be a minor break but I would definitely get an X-ray. Don't wait any longer. Good luck.

    • Sillyamby
      Sillyamby MsCamboot

      Posted

      Thanks! I will. I can’t see. Sprain lasting this long. 
  • heidi20884
    heidi20884 Sillyamby

    Posted

    You poor thing, please go see a orthopedic specialist...in the meantime ice while elevating, stay off your foot and wear some sort of ankle compression. Best of Luck!
  • kpower
    kpower Sillyamby

    Posted

    Hi Sillyamby,

    It sounds like you are dealing with a severely damaged ankle that never got a chance to heal. Your body has been screaming for you to address the problem for a long time but you haven't noticed.

    Your symptoms seem to describe a Grade II or III sprain, and believe me that is nothing to trifle with. The time to treat it properly was when your accident occurred in February, using the PRICE protocol. Also, your doc should have x-rayed your ankle because bone fractures often accompany severe sprains.

    By waiting and subjecting a damaged ankle to more abuse (by continuing to use it when compromised) you unknowingly have entered uncharted terrain of a possibly chronic condition.

    If I were you I would be looking for a good ankle specialist (not a surgeon) to guide you through this and help you work on a successful recovery.

    Good luck.

    • Sillyamby
      Sillyamby kpower

      Posted

      Thanks. It’s just I couldnt afford to miss work as we were swamped so I continued. It feels better than it did so I ignored it. Now I have more time and will get it looked at 
  • mary77530
    mary77530 Sillyamby

    Posted

    Hi,

    The same thing happened to me while I was trying to step over a heap of clothes/boxes/etc items from our linen closet, I misjudged my step and my foot twisted sideways, and I instantly fell to the ground in extreme pain.....I thought, I wonder if I fractured it or just twisted it, and after x-rays the next day found out I broke my inner ankle and fractured the outer, then had to have (my first) Surgery ever at the age of 39, and they put a metal plate and 2 screws in (This happened at the beginning of Feb.).........I recommend that you do get x-rays to see what's going on in there so you can start getting it healed, and not be in so much pain. I hope this helps :-)

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