Bad Sprains, How Long Until The Joint Returns To Normal?

chillindrdude · Aug 22, 2012

So the MRI just showed soft tissue damage? No boney pathology right? Sprains are the worse. They can take 8-12 weeks to fully heal because ligaments and tendons are not as well vascularized compared to bone. Im wondering if you have stuff going on within the ankle joint/capsule if its still sweling up 3 months since the injury. Maybe we are talking about the same thing but id get a second opinion from an orthopedic surgeon that specializes in ankle/foot.

Cant Climb · Aug 22, 2012

That swelling looks like something is broken. But you said you had an MRI.....

Huck Banzai · Aug 22, 2012

RICE for sure, stay off it (crutches), if its still that swollen, it still needs ice for sure, and a LIGHT compression wrap (if your foot feels numb at all, its too tight)

I wouldnt say physio, but light movement, whatever doesnt hurt.

Feet and hands are some of the toughest to heal, 8-12 weeks of proper treatment and you should be rolling.

bizutch · Aug 22, 2012

You need to keep it wrapped with actual tape. for a long time brother. Anything that recurrent needs bracing to keep you from repeating minor tears over and over. Every little bit of tissue in there is probably not able to support the others, so even running around trying to favor it is making repetitive tissue tears.

Buy yourself a pair of compression socks. They won't make you recover from exercise all that incredibly, but they do wonders for swelling. Until you get off it, stop repeating the damage and allow the swelling to go down so everything can tighten up again, you're just spinning tires in the sand going nowhere.

Huck Banzai · Aug 22, 2012

HardtailHack said:
Cheers guys, I did do the RICE thing to begin with but it did zip, the swelling got continually worse until about the five day mark.

I forgot to add, the GP I ended up going to was formerly a Physio and put me on soft beach sand walks and got me using a balance board which has helped. After seeing him I spent two weeks resting it and gradually got in to the exercises but I seem to have reached a point where it has stopped getting better.

I'll put the MRI report up if anyone knows what it means.

Im neither a doctor or a physical therapist, but definitely an experienced klutz with plenty of doctor and ortho visits including multiple ankle injuries (inverted, everted w/ avulsion...) and the idea of ANY type of range or load therapy before ~4 weeks on this type of injury is a very very very bad idea. Weight bearing is a very bad idea. Massaging and needling torn/damaged ligaments? Counterproductive at least. You might want to find a good orthopedic practice; this GP seems out of his gourd.

As long as it's swelling, anti inflammatories and ice are in order, as long as necessary. Walking, balance boards or any stressful motion is going to keep tearing things like Bizutch pointed out.

You need to RICE until its all better, or you are looking at 1+ year recovery (I did that on the eversion due to greater motivations....)

lamur33 · Aug 28, 2012

Oh! sorry to hear this..
don't panic! you just need about 10 week of relaxing and special treatment and everything will be alright

Everything will be OK
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ocelot · Aug 28, 2012

I rolled my ankle 2 years ago as well. It popped pretty loudly when it happened and I was pretty sure it was broken immediately after!
I did the usual RICE like everyone is suggesting. I also went to a traditional chinese doctor for a massage and a herbal medicine wrapping. I was kind of skeptical about it, but my parents insisted that it worked. Well, 2 weeks later I was back on the bike. I wasn't even 100% healed, but I taped my ankle nicely to go riding.

kidwoo · Aug 29, 2012

Cant Climb said:
That swelling looks like something is broken. But you said you had an MRI.....

Kind of what I was thinking. I lost count of how many broken bones I've had in my ankles and feet but even if it's just a bone chip, that's what bone injury looks like........not just a sprain usually.

Either way.......

Buy one of these

http://www.orthoticsandbeyond.com/p-26-royce-medical-exoform-ankle-brace-with-figure-8-straps.aspx

You can't tell in the pic but it has the same ribs as this.

http://www.orthoticsandbeyond.com/p-25-royce-medical-exoform-ankle-brace-with-speed-laces.aspx

PLUS it has the cross straps. You can tape up your ankle every time you want to ride but that gets old and this brace is by far the closest substitute. It's badass. I found those things after spending hundreds of dollars on a bunch of other shlt. Those royce ones rule.

I'm glad I saw this thread. I was trying to remember which ones those were. I just sprained another ankle myself and gave all mine away a year or two ago.

And yes, I'm ordering one right now as well.

kidwoo · Sep 7, 2012

Completely hairless from all the taping

My brace showed up and I went dirtjumping yesterday. I thumped a landing and didn't cry so it must be getting better.

It's nowhere near as gnarly as what you did though. I haven't had one of those in a while. Can you stand on pedals? I've done a few xc rides to keep myself sane. It always seemed like walking around on uneven ground hurt my ankles worse than some mellow riding. There are a lot more angles to twist your foot around than just pedaling does.

Just make sure to lock it out if you do (IE tape or brace).

Cant Climb · Sep 7, 2012

I had an ankle that looked like that in college. First x-ray they said no break. 3 months later was still swollen and sore even though nerve endings were mostly dead. So got 2nd x-ray, doc showed me where bone cracked on the point. Was in walking cast for 2.5 weeks, and was 100% fine after that.....

kidwoo · Sep 7, 2012

Maybe these will make you feel better.

Here's a bone chip I got once

Looks like freakin blood poisoning.

And this is a completely different one.

I've never had bad brusing like this or like what you've got HTH, and NOT had a bone involved somehow. Either way, it's not like you'd really do anything differently. Just pay attention to the pain and keep that thing immobilized of you're going to go out and play. It would have to be really bad to indicate some sort of more in depth treatment. And if it WERE really bad, the MRI would have shown it......even to an idiot.

yopaulie · Sep 7, 2012

kidwoo said:
Maybe these will make you feel better.

Here's a bone chip I got once

Looks like freakin blood poisoning.

And this is a completely different one.

I've never had bad brusing like this or like what you've got HTH, and NOT had a bone involved somehow. Either way, it's not like you'd really do anything differently. Just pay attention to the pain and keep that thing immobilized of you're going to go out and play. It would have to be really bad to indicate some sort of more in depth treatment. And if it WERE really bad, the MRI would have shown it......even to an idiot.

I havent hurt the ankles too much but every single time I do they look just like that. I have been lucky enough to never broken an ankle bone so it seems I have hard bones but bruise like a bitch....

SCGUY · Sep 11, 2012

Hi, first you have to be sure there's no unstability, because that's first cause of ankle sprain not going well, then be sure no other injuries are present, OC lesions (cartilage lesion), bone injuries (even if you don't have a fracture you can have some kind of bone swelling), also peroneal tendon injuries can hapen along with ankle sprains, if your MRI was not made with contrast you should consider try one, but first go visit a foot and ankle surgeon, no GP, no physio.

lachy_mtb · Sep 11, 2012

bizutch said:
You need to keep it wrapped with actual tape. for a long time brother. Anything that recurrent needs bracing to keep you from repeating minor tears over and over. Every little bit of tissue in there is probably not able to support the others, so even running around trying to favor it is making repetitive tissue tears.

Buy yourself a pair of compression socks. They won't make you recover from exercise all that incredibly, but they do wonders for swelling. Until you get off it, stop repeating the damage and allow the swelling to go down so everything can tighten up again, you're just spinning tires in the sand going nowhere.

I did the exact same thing as you about 8 weeks ago, The best thing I've found is exactly what bizutch said. I tape mine up most days, and if I don't tape it I use one of those pharmacy braces. I also use an arnica style product if I walk on it funny and the swelling starts to come back. Once the swellings stopped then a heat pack at night seems good too. It's a **** injury, just have to wait it out.

davec113 · Sep 12, 2012

Keep on wearing a brace for a long while after you think it's ok... it takes a long time for the joint to really be stable again....

atrokz · Sep 12, 2012

Had a extremely bad wrist sprain several years back. To the point where it went black and blue within seconds of smashing it. Doctors thought it was broken untill tests were done. I also broke my wrist and hand before.

Results?

Broken wrist took about 6 weeks in a cast, then I'd say 2 months after to regain mobility and strength back to the point I could do a push up. This was mainly due to muscle atrophy and not the break itself.

Sprained wrist took 4 weeks before I could ride a road bike, and about one year to start feeling somewhat normal again.

TL;DR? Bad sprains take a lot longer to heal. Take good care of it while it's healing.

Bad Sprains, How Long Until The Joint Returns To Normal?

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