I injured my ankle about a month ago playing basketball & it was pretty bad. Ever since then, it's been recovering slowly, but it's getting there. But I noticed something keeps happening. Whenever I have to walk a long amount of time / length, a few hours later I would feel a little pain and by the time I wake up the next day, the pain on it feels like it did the first day I sprained it. I would barely be able to even limp around. When this happened the first time, I thought maybe I just overworked it and I reinjured the ankle. The weird thing was, the very next day, the pain went away to how it felt before walking a long amount. In fact, it felt like it was even better than before. In the month I have had my ankle injured, this same pattern has happened 3 times, and it just happened again. So I was wondering if anyone has ever experienced this or know why this is happening? Much appreciated.
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Weird Ankle Problem
- Thread starter pacoman757
- Start date
A lot of the time, people never completely recover from a sprain. Often, the ligament you injured does not regain its strength and will have more laxity than it did before. (In worst-case scenarios, if it was an extreme sprain, the ligament may even heal irregularly.) That being said, certain movements or amounts of stress could aggravate the injury again, but there's no way I can be certain, myself.
If you're really worried about it, an MRI could be beneficial.
If you're really worried about it, an MRI could be beneficial.
This is very initial stage of your ankle injury. The pain is reappearing time to time because it has just stretching your ligaments. I think you need to take action right now.
• If possible just take an over-the-counter pain reliever. Try acetaminophen, ibuprofen or naproxen sodium. Please consult with your doc before taking those medicines.
• Perform exercises to increase your mobility. Try some of the following exercises to help your ankle ligaments to recover.
• Perform ankle circles or write the alphabet with your toes to start to increase the mobility at the ankle. If your ankle is swollen, perform the exercise with your leg elevated.
• Sit in a chair with your injured foot flat on the floor. Slowly move your knee from side to side for about 2 to 3 minutes, keeping your foot flat on the floor the whole time.
• Stretch your ligaments gently as possible as you can. After an ankle sprain, the calf muscles often get tight. It is important to stretch these to get your normal range of motion back. If you don't, it could lead to further injuries.
• Sit on the floor with your leg extended out in front of you. Wrap a towel around the ball of your foot and pull the towel toward you while keeping your knee straight. Hold the stretch for 15 to 30 seconds. If the stretch is too painful, start by holding it for just a couple of seconds and gradually increasing your time as the injury subsides. Repeat the stretch 2 to 4 times.
• Stand with your hands on a wall and place your injured foot about a step behind your other foot. Keep your heel on the floor and slowly bend your knee until you feel a stretch in your calf. Hold the stretch for 15 to 30 seconds, and repeat it 2 to 4 times.
• Strengthen your ankle. When you can stand without feeling increased pain or noticing increased swelling, then you can start some strengthening exercises.
• Place your foot flat on the floor. Push your foot toward a wall or other immovable object, and hold the position for 6 seconds.
• Sit with your feet on the floor. Wrap an exercise band or other stretchy tubing around the outsides of both of your ankles. Keep your uninjured foot on the floor, and gently push your injured ankle away from the uninjured foot, stretching the band as you go.
• Sit down and place your feet together on the floor. Push your injured foot toward your uninjured foot and hold the position for about 6 seconds.
• Place your uninjured foot on top of your injured foot. While pushing down with your top foot, simultaneously push the bottom foot upward. Hold for 6 seconds.
• Work on improving your balance. Balance is often affected following an ankle sprain, so you'll need to concentrate on improving your balance so that you don't repeat the injury.
• Purchase a wobble board or stand on a cushion if possible. Make sure that you position yourself near a wall in case you lose your balance, or have someone else spot you while you're working on keeping steady.
• If you don't have a cushion or a wobble board, then you can stand on your injured foot and lift your other foot off of the floor. Extend your arms out to your side for balance.
Those are very simple but proven exercise for ankle injuries. However if you do not see any improvement after 2-3 weeks then it is advisable to make an appointment with your doc.
• If possible just take an over-the-counter pain reliever. Try acetaminophen, ibuprofen or naproxen sodium. Please consult with your doc before taking those medicines.
• Perform exercises to increase your mobility. Try some of the following exercises to help your ankle ligaments to recover.
• Perform ankle circles or write the alphabet with your toes to start to increase the mobility at the ankle. If your ankle is swollen, perform the exercise with your leg elevated.
• Sit in a chair with your injured foot flat on the floor. Slowly move your knee from side to side for about 2 to 3 minutes, keeping your foot flat on the floor the whole time.
• Stretch your ligaments gently as possible as you can. After an ankle sprain, the calf muscles often get tight. It is important to stretch these to get your normal range of motion back. If you don't, it could lead to further injuries.
• Sit on the floor with your leg extended out in front of you. Wrap a towel around the ball of your foot and pull the towel toward you while keeping your knee straight. Hold the stretch for 15 to 30 seconds. If the stretch is too painful, start by holding it for just a couple of seconds and gradually increasing your time as the injury subsides. Repeat the stretch 2 to 4 times.
• Stand with your hands on a wall and place your injured foot about a step behind your other foot. Keep your heel on the floor and slowly bend your knee until you feel a stretch in your calf. Hold the stretch for 15 to 30 seconds, and repeat it 2 to 4 times.
• Strengthen your ankle. When you can stand without feeling increased pain or noticing increased swelling, then you can start some strengthening exercises.
• Place your foot flat on the floor. Push your foot toward a wall or other immovable object, and hold the position for 6 seconds.
• Sit with your feet on the floor. Wrap an exercise band or other stretchy tubing around the outsides of both of your ankles. Keep your uninjured foot on the floor, and gently push your injured ankle away from the uninjured foot, stretching the band as you go.
• Sit down and place your feet together on the floor. Push your injured foot toward your uninjured foot and hold the position for about 6 seconds.
• Place your uninjured foot on top of your injured foot. While pushing down with your top foot, simultaneously push the bottom foot upward. Hold for 6 seconds.
• Work on improving your balance. Balance is often affected following an ankle sprain, so you'll need to concentrate on improving your balance so that you don't repeat the injury.
• Purchase a wobble board or stand on a cushion if possible. Make sure that you position yourself near a wall in case you lose your balance, or have someone else spot you while you're working on keeping steady.
• If you don't have a cushion or a wobble board, then you can stand on your injured foot and lift your other foot off of the floor. Extend your arms out to your side for balance.
Those are very simple but proven exercise for ankle injuries. However if you do not see any improvement after 2-3 weeks then it is advisable to make an appointment with your doc.