Need help with sprained ankle
 

I have sprained my ankle. I believe that I slipped off a curb on Saturday. I have almost no sensation at all below the knee, so the pain is very muffled, but it is definitely there when putting weight on it.

The ankle swelled up on Sunday, and was sore, I elevated it on Monday. On Tuesday it seemed better and I went for a walk wearing a brace and hiking boots, with poles. Tuesday night I started having sharp pains and weight bearing was difficult and unstable.

I am very frustrated because I cannot tell anything about the severity of the sprain from pain levels. My balance is definitely affected. The swelling has contracted to a small hard section below the ankle bone toward the arch on the inside of the foot, about six square inches, with some swelling across the front of the ankle. I am also getting strong shooting pains in my calf, probably because my gait is off.

I do not want to be any more immobile than necessary, but I know I am at great risk of re injuring it since I can't feel very much. To complicate matters we are going to the Universal theme park in Florida in two weeks. We are taking a wheelchair since I cannot stand for long periods, but I was not planning to use it for everything as now seems likely.

This is part vent and part plea- I had an x-ray to rule out fractures, otherwise was just told rest and brace or air cast. Advice anyone? Especially about how strict I should be about staying off it?

Thank you.

Tendon injuries are really painful and long time healing. We are talking MONTHS here.

If you are not using the Morton Epsom lotion, now is the time to get some. This will help alot.

I am so sorry I can't help more. But really keeping elevated as much as possible, some ice/cold pack treatment, and staying off it as much as possible and some support which is not too tight is best.

Ankle and wrist injuries can turn into RSD....for some reason this happens to some people. There are studies out of Europe to take 500-1000mg of Vit C daily for over 40 days, which seems to reduce this risk. The antioxidant actions of the Vit C seems to block the inflammation that may lead to RSD. So you might consider that too. Vit C is pretty innocuous at those doses.

I (a couple months ago) broke AND sprained my ankle. I say both because it was an evulsion fracture which means the ligament (two in my case) broke off a piece(s) of the fibula in the ankle joint. The ligament damage is the sprain aspect compounded by the fractured pieces of the fibula. The sprain is as bad as the fracture in most cases.

I was to be non-weight bearing for about 7-10 days, then air-cast for 6 weeks. Then brace. The joint needs time for swelling to recede and area to stabilize...this isn't going to happen if you are walking on it. By all means use a brace (good sturdy one, not elastic slip-on) to stabilize the joint. If you have to be up on it, I would limit it as much as possible.

The other MOST important thing is it ice for 20 minute intervals 3-4 times a day. You also need to start movement (non-weight bearing). My first exercise for several weeks to KEEP my range of motion was to make the alphabet letters with your toes/foot in the air (with leg on a foot rest of a recliner). It seems very easy, but it's not. It simply moves the joint/foot in many positions. Always ice after doing the exercise.

Hope this helps. It just takes time...that awful, awful word...LOL

I have been using the Morton's lotion for quite a while, and it is extremely helpful. I am so mad at myself over this. The fact is I have no idea what is actually going on with my feet and legs and something like this really reminds me how fragile and unstable this whole CMT thing really is. I have been moving around on "capital" - strength from being big boned and really strong despite the neuropathy. My feet and ankles have visibly weakened. Four years ago I was joking with the neurologist about having to lose weight so my husband could push my wheelchair. Today he is putting it in the van.
Thank you so much, Mrs. D., for your quick response! I have a bottle of vitamin C around here...

Time really is an awful word in this case. I have been obsessing over how many more autumns I have to walk in the woods, two?, three?, and now I've lost this one. I look forward to fall each year, and it passes so quickly.
That was a nasty injury, en bloc. Have you fully recovered?

my feet and lower legs are also deeply numb. i have sprained both of my ankles a number of times and broken a few toes without knowing it. only realizing it after i saw the bruising. of course you know by now that doing a hike two days later was the worst thing you could do. stay off of it as much as possible, do the ice, the lotion etc. in two weeks you may well be good to go to florida in two weeks. while you are there i would use an ankle support and take it off when you are done walking for the day.

Yes, I have recovered...took about 12 weeks. I have really good range of motion now (I had 2 months of formal PT) and very little (if any) pain. But it still feels a bit weak and I will always need some support...especially when walking on uneven surfaces (like around the yard/property).

I'm so sorry to hear this happened to you Susanne. I agree with everyone else stay off of it as much as possible. It needs time to heal. Also, icing it is important.

I believe you said you use the Epsom lotion. Try to get the salt in your local pharmacy. This way you can sit in your chair and soak it for awhile.

If there is a park around you see if your husband can help get you into the car. Go to the park use your wheelchair and sit and admire the things fall has to offer. I know this is not the same but you will get to admire the beautiful colors.

Most important rest. You don't want to make it worse before Florida:hug:

Autumn/Fall is my favorite seasoon. I can empathize. I hope that you heal fast and enjoy Universal. Those Orlando parks tend to be immersive, if Florida is indeed the destination. Enjoy!

Thank you all so much- echoes, I had the same thing happen to a toe on this foot last month- I never knew anything had happened until it turned black and stayed that way. Now it has a funny new bump. If I twisted it hard I got a twinge otherwise nothing. The physical therapist had said that I would know when to get AFO's when I started hurting myself, so this may be the sign I have been waiting for.

I felt so ridiculous trying to explain to the doctor at the walk in clinic about not having any feeling in my legs, and the pain being muffled but I could really tell it was severe and throbbing, but far away. It sounds crazy, doesn't it? The nurses acted like I was crazy, but my PCP said it was the fastest way to get an x-ray, which it was, and the doctor seemed to get it.

I cannot begin to tell everyone how much your comments have helped. I generally overdo things, between the numbness and the pain meds I can ignore quite a lot, and I always feel like I have to keep going to prove I am not lazy like my mother always said I was. A long story, but I am pretty messed up psychologically, and I expend a lot of effort trying to justify my existence by cooking and caring for the children and grandchildren.

Hopeful, I was thinking about doing just that- if I sit by the lake the trees are perfectly reflected in the water and this time of year every day is different.

I have three sons to push me in the park, and yes, Jon, it is Florida. Our last trip there was cancelled by hurricane Sandy, we couldn't fly out. My husband has a convention to attend and we are tagging along. Those rides are amazing!

Good morning Susanne C :)
 

Thank you, Debi, it sounds like you have been having a hard time too. I thought I knew how easy it was to get badly hurt without realizing it when I got a staph infection in my foot six years ago- that led to the neurologist and the diagnosis. I guess I really still didn't get it. I would walk out in the yard to get the mail barefoot on the broken hickory nuts and twigs without thinking, or stand in the snow barefoot to watch the kids play because it really doesn't bother me.

I am being diligent to stay off it. I did get an aircast like the clinic doctor suggested. My husband has been ruthless in guarding me but he is on a business trip for three days so I have to be good and let the clutter pile up.

I think I am better. The swelling has gone down. It frustrates me that I don't "feel" anything. How can I know if it is getting better? I want to walk on it until it hurts just so I know it is still sprained. Dumb. The numbness crept up on me so gradually over so many years that I have never minded it but I do mind having an injury and having no idea whether it is better or not and how bad it really is. The twinges and pains I do get aren't all that different from the usual pains in both legs. I would sound like a lunatic if I tried to explain the difference. I have always needed hard tests results to feel "entitled" to be sick or disabled. Even though I have the tests to prove that I don't have any feeling, I don't have proof of how bad this sprain is, and it is driving me crazy in the way these things do. It is very hard to stay put, but I do want to recover as much as possible before the trip.

Monday morning I decided to be SuperDad annd carry my daughter downstairs. Everything was fine until the last step I took. It was a four in one step. It is probably hindsight coloring in detail, but I could swear the theme song to The Greatest American Hero played the whole chorus before I landed.

I felt a few things on impact, none of which I'd call pain. My daughter was not even worried, let alone hurt. There is some swelling and color change on the outside. I have been taking Ibuprophen and an ACE bandage as I have noticed some minimal stability issues.

So I empathize, fractionally, but literally. I hope today is better.

I am sorry to hear this, and hope that you are better soon. One of the biggest problems with PN is that the lack of feeling makes it impossible to judge the severity of an injury. I know the ankle is unstable when I put weight on it, but the pain is minimal unless I overdo it,
It must be so hard to have young children with this.

I just saw my physician- lowest of the low grade from appearances. I figured as much. There is some throbbing as the day wears on, but the swelling is under control and my stability is slightly better at best, the same at worst.

I can't imagine this being easy any way you slice it. I'm just really thankful I made changes to my life that mitigate larger issues (eating better and less, moving more) that I did. An understanding wife and daughter don't hurt my scenario. The boy? He believes in the Hulk.

I hope you are feeling better, Susanne.

Jon