Swelling just won't go down completely

Hey there.

I’m hoping there might be a doctor lurking on this forum so I don't end up wasting my time here...

Basically, exactly one week ago today, I rolled my ankle during a tennis match, and it swelled up shortly after.
To make matters worse, as soon as it happened, I foolishly stood up to "test it out." Thinking it wasn't a big deal, I actually finished the set and kept playing for another hour.

Predictably, my intuition was wrong. The ankle swelled up significantly, and by the next day, I was pretty much sidelined from any sports. I was even limping because I couldn't flex my foot properly.

A day later, the swelling subsided in one spot but popped up in another—though that might just be from massaging it with some Deep Relief cream. By then, I felt much better and could walk almost without a limp.

By the third day, I was walking normally without any limping or major issues. I’d feel a slight tightness if I accidentally flexed the foot too aggressively, but otherwise, walking was fine and pain-free.

I should mention that, from the start, it didn't really hurt much. Aside from that first day when the swelling hit, it was mostly just tightness and a feeling of restricted movement.

Between the fourth and sixth day, the swelling almost completely vanished. However, yesterday, while I was out running errands in Chicago, I managed to mess it up again. First, I banged it against a curb, and then I rolled it slightly on some uneven pavement. I even did it again today right in my driveway. 😉

After all this drama, my question is:
Is it possible I actually fractured or dislocated something? The swelling is larger and more spread out today than it was two days ago (though nowhere near as bad as that first day right after the initial injury).
What worries me even more than the swelling is realizing that I can only flex my ankle about 50-60% of the way compared to a normal range of motion.
It’s enough for me to walk normally without limping, pain, or discomfort, but it’s a bit unsettling that a full week after the sprain, my movement is still so limited. And that's assuming the increased swelling is just due to me hitting it against the curb and tripping yesterday.

I'm undecided on whether I should see a doctor if things don't improve by tomorrow or the day after. This isn't my first time spraining an ankle; in the past, I've usually just rubbed some Voltaren on it and moved on. But this seems to be dragging on longer than usual, and frankly, I'm not sure what to do.
I really don't need crutches, casts, surgery, or a marathon of doctor visits right now. I've got enough on my plate without adding medical drama to the mix.

I'd appreciate any constructive advice or explanations regarding why my range of motion is still so restricted and whether this is a normal part of recovering from a sprain like this.

You’ve managed to pick up one of those incredibly common injuries known as an ankle sprain—or, if you want to get technical, a *dystorsio articulationis talocruralis*.
Honestly, you're overthinking this entire situation in your post. It’s a banal, run-of-the-mill injury. If you had actually bothered to see a doctor instead of playing philosopher, you would have learned that the standard protocol is resting with your leg elevated, applying ice packs, and using an elastic bandage if you absolutely must walk at all.
That lack of mobility you're experiencing is perfectly normal due to the edema—the swelling.
And no, you haven't broken anything. You simply stretched the ligaments in your ankle; that’s exactly why it’s swollen and why you can't move it properly. If you had actually fractured something, even the ligaments, there is no way you could even stand on that foot.
If you stick to the treatment I just laid out, you should be more or less back on your feet in about two weeks.