“I have twisted my ankle on a walk and don't know how to fix it?”
I am a 68-year-old female who was going for a walk one afternoon and twisted her ankle. Should I wait for it to heal or see a doctor?
19 Answers
My advice: If there are questions of whether to see a doctor or not, usually it is always good to have a doctor look at it and have an xray to make sure its just a sprain.
I would see someone, the longer you wait the more likely you could have problems later on with it.
A stress fracture is likely and is easily treated, so you can continue to enjoy life without chronic lower extremity pain.
YOU NEED TO GO TO A PODIATRIST!!!
See a doctor. Sometimes twists can result in small fractures that can become a problem later if left untreated
I would recommend seeing a doctor for evaluation.
Jonathan M. Kletz, D.P.M.
Jonathan M. Kletz, D.P.M.
Hello,
If it has been awhile since the injury without improvement then I would see a doctor. If the injury just happened immobilization and rest is the initial treatmwnt.
Dr. Lui
If it has been awhile since the injury without improvement then I would see a doctor. If the injury just happened immobilization and rest is the initial treatmwnt.
Dr. Lui
If you are having difficulty walking and putting weight on your foot I suggest you see a specialist. Ankle sprains can take weeks to months to completely heal based on the severity of the injury. The most important thing to do is to control the swelling or edema so compression is key. I recommend you also rest, ice and elevate your extremity. Good luck to you.
If you developed significant swelling, and bruising- yes you should see a Doctor.
Ice, Ace bandage, elevate. Seek professional help in 3 days if not improving.
Never self treat. You should see someone. The first things to do would be to asses how bad it is. Ice compression elevation and an anti inflammatory if you have them. Minimize walking for a few days and practice moving through a limited range of motion while sitting with no weight.
Ankle in juries are common and healing can be quick, a few weeks up to 4-6 months, it just depends on the severity of the ligament damage. There are other structures that could be damaged that can be seen on an X-ray. So, if it's still really sore, go see your doc.
I would recommend that you see your doctor for an X-ray and evaluation
See a doc
Treatment for an ankle sprain is most effective when started early. I recommend seeing a doctor to have it evaluated to make sure it heals correctly.
In the meantime, It is important to minimize the swelling and pain by immobilizing the ankle as soon as possible. At home treatments can be attempted if the sprain is mild using the R.I.C.E. method. This stand for rest, ice, compression, and elevation.
Rest: The first couple of days after the inury are the most important. This helps prevent further swelling and bruising.
Ice: Applying ice 20 minutes every 2 hours can help ease pain and reduce swelling.
Compression: Gentle compression wrapping (such as an ACE bandage) helps reduce swelling. Make sure the wrapping is not too tight or it can cause pain or even stop the blood flow.
Elevation: Raising your leg above the level of your heart helps control pain and swelling.
In the meantime, It is important to minimize the swelling and pain by immobilizing the ankle as soon as possible. At home treatments can be attempted if the sprain is mild using the R.I.C.E. method. This stand for rest, ice, compression, and elevation.
Rest: The first couple of days after the inury are the most important. This helps prevent further swelling and bruising.
Ice: Applying ice 20 minutes every 2 hours can help ease pain and reduce swelling.
Compression: Gentle compression wrapping (such as an ACE bandage) helps reduce swelling. Make sure the wrapping is not too tight or it can cause pain or even stop the blood flow.
Elevation: Raising your leg above the level of your heart helps control pain and swelling.
After twisting an ankle, first thing I would recommend is to get an X Ray to make sure there is no broken bone or even a chip fracture. Let us assume there is no broken bone, then you can use the RICE therapy and immobilization, allowing the ankle to heal. Most commonly affected ligament after an ankle sprain is the anterior talo fibular ligament. Most simple ankle sprain should heal on it own however there a few that continues to cause lingering pain or ankle instability. That is when you need to see a doctor because you don't want it to become chronic ankle instability. A doctor would do a thorough history and physical exam and decide on the best treatment for you. Conservative therapy include ankle brace, home exercises and some physical therapy. If that fails, an MRI can be ordered and then there are various surgical options to address the pathology.
If it's not feeling better you should see your doctor to make sure it's not broken. Ankle sprains typically need a period of stabilization and rehabilitation depending on the severity. Ice and anti-inflammatory treatment helps for the first few days. See your doctor to get a proper diagnosis and treatment plan.
I would recommend you have the ankle evaluated by a foot and ankle surgeon (podiatrist). Ankle sprains can linger if not properly diagnosed. The possibility of a fracture also exists, so an X ray is recommended as well
You should see a doctor. About 50-60% of ankle sprains have a fracture associated with it, and you must be evaluated ASAP to make sure the fracture is stable, and you don't create worse issues.
