So I was doing yard work, had a chainsaw in one hand a some small tree limbs in another. I took a bad step off a large log with loose fitting steel caps onto a hidden limb under some leaves, and "bam" my ankle rolled inwards and went "POP" like a champagne cork.

I managed to eventually walk back inside and shower, ice it and elevate.

Day 1: Pain wasn't really an issue unless I moved it. It clicks. Used a compression bandage. Walking stick. Swelling starts.

Day 2: Swelled up like an apple ankle, no numbness, some red bruising but nothing major yet, and I can put weight on it sometimes in certain directions.

Day 3: That's tomorrow. After the first couple of days thinking I'll never walk properly again I think it's getting better.

My question is how many of you have rolled/sprained/popped/cracked your ankle?

What was the end result?

Everyone keeps telling me to go to emergency or the doctor. What can they do? It's such a common thing apparently/

What did you do?

Cried a bit.

I cried man tears, many tears, so many tears and walked it off to RICE.

Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation

Anyone else didn't go to the doc or emergency how did it turn out with the right physio?

More medical requests for advice from Seabreeze!! Really

see a pyhsio or even better a bulk billed medical centre with some technology, you need to find out exactly what the damage is from a
professional and go from there.

You are right. It is done. Doctor tomorrow. It amazes me that such a simple action can cause so much damage.

I'm asking how anyone's recovery went. I think my ligament(s) are either strained, or snapped. "POP"

Will I get full control back? Depends on physio?

Probably never be the same? This sucks.

You may have pulled an achilles tendon and it may have been torn. Get to the doctor and have it imaged as surgery may be needed to re-attach it. I had an incident like this following a game of squash and and tore the achilles at a ball on the dance floor near the Pyramids in Egypt. I did not go to the doctor for one week- I ended up under the knife from an Egyptian surgeon. As a result of my delay, the scar is much larger from the surgery since the tendon had shrunk due to delay.Do not delay...get proper medical advice from a doctor having the necessary knowledge.

Thanks, I will hit the experts.

I heard the "POP"

I will seek expert help tomorrow even though it seems to be getting better.

But anyway, how did this work out for others?

I'm worried about long term weakness, failure again.

I played mixed netball (dominated at wing attack!) and indoor cricket 5 nights a week over the course of 3 or 4 years and rolled my right ankle badly a few times (size 16 feet and 120kgs dont work well together in sports like those). Netball courts are a big cause of rolled ankles.

In a netball grand final i actually broke it at the beginging of the 4th quarter and played out the game in immense pain.

Then i had a forklift incident as my shoes dont fit in the foot rest area which tweaked it further.

Last year i rolled it at Spartan race about 5kms in. That fkn hurt but it wasnt too bad and i was able to finish.

It's now pretty ****ed . On a cold morning when i first get up its always sore for 5 minutes but then good to go. I have to be careful if im on even ground. I was squatting fairly heavy 15 months ago and it never gave me any issues so it cant be that weak.

All right ankle, the left is great!

Yeah MDSXR6T, this feels like it will piss me off for many years to come.

I will do my best to strengthen the joint with physio and alcohol (what pain?), after seeing the doc of course.

If it's just sprained you only need to RICE it. If you think you've done some damage see a doc, xray etc. Keep your weight off it. I've done a few ankles, car prangs, motor bike, footy, just being pissed etc. most of them i just sucked it up. But technology today is pretty good so perhaps see a physio as a minimum. Actually get advice from a physio or a doc, not this forum

Thanks Vince.

I will get Pro help from the Doc tomorrow (who will probably no doubt tell me to RICE it). Better to be safe than sorry.

It's the huge "POP" sound that worried me.

I can pretty much walk on it now very, very carefully. It's only been 52 hours.

Just wanted to hear if other people have done it and their recovery story.

It just "happened" which sux.

Get an X-ray !

Thanks Sands. Will do what ever the doc says.

Just thought I could shake it off at first but the POP sound got me worried.

It's actually getting better but I want it to heal the correct way and black bruising is starting to appear.

Thank god we have professionals we can turn too, and even forums like this to send me in the right direction rather than bear it and grin.

Ankles suck when they don't work.

Google the Thompson test and carry it out to determine if it is achilles tendon tear or rupture.

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Vince68 said..
If it's just sprained you only need to RICE it. If you think you've done some damage see a doc, xray etc. Keep your weight off it. I've done a few ankles, car prangs, motor bike, footy, just being pissed etc. most of them i just sucked it up. But technology today is pretty good so perhaps see a physio as a minimum. Actually get advice from a physio or a doc, not this forum

Agree.

I ignored ankle injuries back in the day and now I'm headed for this.

See a doc and stay away from alcohol. I once tried to drown my frustration over me tearing my ligaments three days before Christmas.
Yes, serious damage had been done, but almost no swelling. Christmas Eve I had a little too much of the delicious Port. Putting my leg down from its elevated resting position, I could feel the blood rushing down into my foot and that was it: The worst swelling I could imagine, painful for more than a week, then turning all sorts of colours. I'm still under the impression it slowed down the recovery process considerably.
Get well soon!

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Windpasser said..
So I was doing yard work, had a chainsaw in one hand a some small tree limbs in another. I took a bad step off a large log with loose fitting steel caps onto a hidden limb under some leaves, and "bam" my ankle rolled inwards and went "POP" like a champagne cork.

My question is how many of you have rolled/sprained/popped/cracked your ankle?

What was the end result?

Just out of interest are you a windsurfer or not? In my experience, windsurfing has built the strength up around my ankle and I haven't sprained an ankle since taking it up. I do remember a few times almost rolling an ankle but the muscles prevented it.

Yeah a Windsurfer, and I agree it really strengthens your ankles along with everything else, but haven't been out for a while.

Hoping to heal well and get back out soon.

I think it was the loose slip on steel caps (normally wear thick snug work socks but this time just thin socks) that rotated and took my ankle as I took the 60cm drop onto a hidden 4 inch round log. I have learnt my lesson.

I shall respect my ankles and all other joints from now on and work to increase their strength gradually. Getting old sucks.

midstrength beer and a panadol you ponce

That's bad advice fruuugz.

Midstrength won't cut it. I suggest a goon bag because it is too hard to walk to the fridge that often to top up. And some kind of empty bottles for... and stop yelling at people around you to get you things, they get pissed off.

Ankle looks like this but more swollen on the other side and lower foot, calf and toes, plus different colours are appearing. (not my pic). I have been advised by a doc to just RICE for now and then start walking on it more when I can till the pain kicks in.

It will probably just need rest, ice etc and maybe some physio but as the others said the pop or tearing could be a more significant injury that needs a proper look.

I tore half the ligaments on the outside of my ankle in December and compressed all the ones on the inside, plaster and moon boot for a month, followed by physio. It's about 98% good now. Good enough to have spent the last 2 1/2 weeks trekking to Everest Base Camp and Gokyo.

Far out Chris, Everest. Congrats.

Yeah the "POP" was loud. Definitely a concern. But as I can walk on it almost now after 3 days the ligaments should be able to repair themselves without a cast, just being very careful. Could take 6 weeks for the scar tissue.

Respect to people with real disabilities. Champions. Don't know what you got till you lose it.

A pop is the sound a torn achilles tendon makes.

Did you have your doctor do the Thompson test ? What was the result ?

Did your doctor get an MRI and an X ray and other images ? What was the result ?

Do not underestimate the matter. You can still walk with a torn achilles tendon,, I could and I even worked out at the gym and went running with injury. I just thought it would heal itself. I was wrong. Please do not make the same mistake.

Hi Windpasser I don't normally comment but thought I would chime in.

I rolled my ankle years ago with similar results. Pop plus swelling and looked like your picture. Massive swelling and purple from toes to mid ankle. Doc recommended RICE also.

First the bad news. One week to the day I was walking on it when bam down I went. No warning no tripping just down like I had been shot. The tendons had been stretched not torn. Be aware and carefull next few weeks.

Now the good news. This happened a long time ago and although I have reinjured the same ankle and can feel slight weakness it is pretty much 100%. The stretched tendons/ligaments are the long term issue.

A physio explained that the brain works with multi sensory inputs for balance. If you have stretched your tendons your brain has to learn the new "length". Sounds suspicious but there is an easy test. Stand next to a wall with your arms out. Now stand on one foot and try to balance. Repeat this with both feet. Now repeat but this time close your eyes. By closing your eyes you take visual cues out of the equation. The first time I tried this in the physio office I almost fell over. If you have no problems with this balance test great. If you do, some simple exercises will retrain your brain and you will be on the road to recovery.

I am aware of my ankles and if planning a run I sometimes wear an ankle brace for added support depending on terrain. Otherwise all is good.
Good luck.
Chris

Obviously if you haven't been thoroughly checked out by a doctor and accepted their diagnosis get your ass in there.

I don't normally comment on these things but my bro (30) did something very very similar last year he fluffed around for three days than went to emergency his ligament had seperated from the bone and retracted so it was a nightmare to join back up and fuse. I'd suggest strongly you go to emergency tell them the pain is 10/10 and get an mri or x Ray this is serious so stop mucking around. It took my bro six months to walk properly after and he has only regained what you could say full strength at 10 months after and was out of work of that for 7-8......doc told him he could of been better within 10 weeks if he hadn't fluffed around.. Remember a doctor will give you a box of pills charge 80 bucks and send you on your way and come back in two days if it's not better for another 80 bucks..........
rice that up and roll one up and lock in a few 2-3 hour movies than make sure you go to the hospital.
( stop fluffing around you have done a ligament 99%)

dont nut take medical advice from anyone on here we are all crazy drink rum and think we are tuff guys go and see someone who can actually help )

Three or four days later it's not really an emergency anymore, so no need to tie up the hospital (and then complain about how many hours you were stuck there). Go to your GP and get referrals for scans and/or X-rays, if you don't like what they say go to another GP.

An MRI may be necessary too. Having had multiple ankle injuries from basketball and volleyball, the last one finished me off and I now need a complete reconstruction. I can still surf just not HP boards, but can't read n any distance. I have not had the recon because the surgeon said that would bring the fusion I will need one day forward.

No ankle injury should just be RICE. Go see a doctor and get a referral to find out what you have really done. Load bearing isn't necessarily a good sign, just means it's not broken. Cartilage and tendons and ligaments can all be damaged. There is a big ligament in the middle if your ankle that can go too, and that needs surgical intervention. Syndemosis is also a possibilty.

Basically, go for me out for sure.

Whats wrong with getting it checked by a doc (xrays etc)
that would be the RIGHT fix,

Like these clowns know everything

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RichardG said..
A pop is the sound a torn achilles tendon makes.

Did you have your doctor do the Thompson test ? What was the result ?

Did your doctor get an MRI and an X ray and other images ? What was the result ?

Do not underestimate the matter. You can still walk with a torn achilles tendon,, I could and I even worked out at the gym and went running with injury. I just thought it would heal itself. I was wrong. Please do not make the same mistake.

As Elsa said in frozen, Richard, let it go. The Achilles is at the back of the ankle and he is describing an over stretching of the outside of the ankle. Very unlikely it is an Achilles injury. If the Achilles was ruptured, as in snapped, he would have a floppy foot with no ability to point his toes, and probably no swelling on outside of ankle. If it was torn, he would have pain at the back of ankle, and possibly swelling.

If you are worried, as in, can't walk, is severely painful and not improving then you should see someone. A gp, a physio, a chiro. They will take a history of the injury, examine you, then determine if in your case you require further radiological examination.

They may order, plain X-rays, ultrasounds, CT or MRI. This can only be determined after chatting with you and examining you, by a professional, if you are still concerned.

Likely diagnosis would be strain of the lateral ankle ligaments, or rupture of the lateral ankle ligaments, or fracture of the ankle (talus, tibia, fibula?)and with any of the above.