“I have a very painful ankle due to an injury that occurred last week. What should I do?”
I had a massive fall last week from the bike and I seem to have injured my ankle very badly. Now, I have a swelling around my ankle and it pains a lot whenever I walk. Could this be a serious issue? Are there an home remedies for me to try to minimise the pain?
7 Answers
Dear FATD Patient,
I would recommend that if you cannot bear weight on the ankle or walk on it for 4 steps or more, that it would be best to see your primary care provider who will likely provide you with crutches and a brace or CAM walker boot. Otherwise, I would apply ice and purchase an ankle compression sleeve to help with the swelling.
Hope this helps and that you are feeling better soon.
I would recommend that if you cannot bear weight on the ankle or walk on it for 4 steps or more, that it would be best to see your primary care provider who will likely provide you with crutches and a brace or CAM walker boot. Otherwise, I would apply ice and purchase an ankle compression sleeve to help with the swelling.
Hope this helps and that you are feeling better soon.
Hi,
If you still have same amount of swelling, please elevate your leg while sitting and ice your ankle multiple times a day and each time or at least 20 min. Also, if swelling persists, you might have a hairline fracture. I would go to a physician or get an X-ray to rule out any fracture. Physical therapy can be useful once it’s ruled out.
Thanks,
Dr. Ramky Kavaserry, DPT
If you still have same amount of swelling, please elevate your leg while sitting and ice your ankle multiple times a day and each time or at least 20 min. Also, if swelling persists, you might have a hairline fracture. I would go to a physician or get an X-ray to rule out any fracture. Physical therapy can be useful once it’s ruled out.
Thanks,
Dr. Ramky Kavaserry, DPT
You have to do an x-ray, also you need to be evaluated for possible fracture, ligaments or muscle injuries, but you can use ice 10 minutes every couple of hours, not bearing to much weight on it, and see an orthopedic as soon as possible.
That sounds serious. A home remedy would be ice. But since you fell, I recommend a visit to the doctor immediately for an x-ray.
If it's been 1 week and the pain is very severe, seek treatment. A PT can evaluate and determine if you have any instability or potential fracture. If you do not have good rehab potential, they will refer you out for X-rays for fractures and, depending, MRIs for soft tissue injuries.
Rest, ice pack, compression bandage around ankle and elevate ankle to reduce swelling. Also, take a pain pill to minimize pain, if pain still continues then you need to get an x-ray done and consult a doctor. Take care!
Parminder S. Bhalesar
Mississauga, Ontario
I'm sorry to hear about your fall. Your ankle injury is most likely a Grade II ankle sprain as this is the most common ankle injury. However, without a proper assessment and diagnosis, it would be difficult to say how bad the sprain is. You can always wrap it up with a tensor bandage, elevate the ankle above the heart while laying down and ice it. Avoid walking on it for a bit and see how it feels in a weeks time. In the mean time, see your family doctor for an X-ray and an ultrasound to see if there is any fracture or ligament damage. The ankle should feel better within 4-6 weeks. Seek the help of a chiropractor or a physiotherapy as they will be able to assist you with proper therapy and exercises as well.
