I popped my ankle falling and now I can't walk. what should I do?

Question

hi, i was doing backflips when I landed on my ankle all wrong and i heard it pop. I couldnt walk for a while, but I walked it off and did some errands before I sat down for a while. anyway, after a while it started hurting so bad i couldnt walk on it. the outer side of my ankle is swollen and i've been iceing it and putting it up. any suggestions/concerns?

Answer 1

Get an xray to make sure you didn't break anything. You should have immediately stayed off it and not walked on it at all. If it's broken or fractured you will have done more damage. You likely tore ligaments and will need to stay off it. Keep icing it and stay off it but do get an x-ray.

It will take a long time to heal. My daughter had to go months to physio, and I sprained my so many times that they told me next time it will be a break. It hurts all the time now and you will have to do exercises to make up for the damaged ligaments and the muscles will have to support your foot. Wear good shoes that support your ankles from hereon in, and wear an ankle support for sports for the next 6 months or so.

Answer 2

Odds are you sprained your ankle. You use ice for the first two days and heat after that. Use ibprofan and see if that helps with some of the pain. I don't think you did anything really serious, but I would stay off the foot for as long as it is really swollen. If it doesn't get better in about a week or two, go see a doctor.

Answer 3

You need to see a doctor and get an xray. I walked on a broken leg bone for a week insisting that it was just sprained. It wasn't--it was broken, and I heard it pop too. I also fell and hurt the other ankle last year and heard a loud "pop." I figured it was broken but it wasn't--just strained. The doctor said that when ligaments are pulled, they can make a popping sound too. Anyway, get it xrayed, and listen and do what the doctors tell you to do! Good luck!
PS Icing it in the interim is good.

Answer 4

Don't wait any longer, go get an x-ray, if not tonight, go first thing in the morning. If there is an urgent care center in your area, consider going there, you'll be seen quicker than a hospital emergency room and they can take care of fractures and sprains. Definitely, stay off of it, don't put any weight on it. When you get to the ER have someone go in and get a wheelchair for you while you wait in the car. Obviously, you have an injury that needs to be assessed by a physician. Even if it's sprained, you'll still have to stay off of it. Keep it elevated above your heart level and ice it 20 minutes per hour.

Two months ago I dropped a drawer on my foot and thought it was only bruised and swollen. I waited to go to the ER 2 days after it was injured. It was severely broken, had surgery to have it screwed back together and I'm still in a cast. Please don't wait to have it x-rayed. Sorry you're in pain. Hope you feel better soon.

Answer 5

Sounds like a strain or a sprain.

Strains are injuries that affect muscles or tendons, thick bands that attach muscles to bones. They occur in response to a quick tear, twist, or pull of the muscle. Strains are an acute type of injury that results from overstretching or over contraction. Pain, weakness, and muscle spasms are common symptoms experienced after a strain occurs.

Sprains are injuries that affect ligaments, thick bands of cartilage that attach bone to bone. They occur in response to a stretch or tear of a ligament. Sprains are an acute type of injury that results from trauma such as a fall or outside force that displaces the surrounding joint from its normal alignment. Sprains can range from a mild ligamentous stretch to a complete tear. Bruising, swelling, instability, and painful movement are common symptoms experienced after a sprain occurs.

RICE is the acronym used for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. It is used as the best initial treatment of soft tissue injuries such as sprains, strains, and contusions. The combination of RICE helps reduce inflammation that occurs after acute injury. It is important to remember that the earlier this treatment is put into place, the more effective it is.

Rest: Rest and protect the injured area. If it hurts to bear weight on the injury, use crutches, or a cane.

Ice: Apply ice to the injury. The cold will reduce swelling and pain at the injured site. This step should be done as soon as possible. Apply the frozen object to the area for 20 minutes three times a day for the first 48 hours.

Compression: Compress the injured site. This will decrease swelling of the injured region. Although the wrap should be snug, make sure it is not too tight as this can cause numbness, tingling, or increased pain.

Elevation: Elevate the injured area above the level of the heart as much as possible. This technique will also assist in reducing the amount of swelling to the injured site.

Once the pain and swelling are eliminated, you should start gradual range of motion exercises but not to the point of pain. Each day your range of motion will increase slightly. Continue until you have complete range of motion. Than start gentle strengthening exercises to re-build the strength in the ankle.

The stiffness will go away over time.

Good Luck

Answer 6

Basically just do as you're doing. Don't put any pressure on that ankle (don't walk on it), keep it iced and elevated. You're probably going to want to go to a doctor and get it checked out. He'll do some imaging studies to make sure you have no broken bones.

Answer 7

you may have sprained it, you should get it xrayed just to rule out a break. In the mean time you are doing the correct things, ice, elevate, heat may help too, and tylenol. good luck

Answer 8

Get it xrayed.