Leg injuries: fractures, dislocations, strains, and more...

I was out on Friday night when it started raining, and through a series of unfortunate events, I slipped and injured my ankle. On Saturday, I went to the ER for X-rays, and the doctor ordered rest, elevation, and ice to reduce the swelling. Now, does anyone actually know how long it takes for this swelling to go down? Because I’m seeing absolutely zero progress here. :S

For me, things finally started settling down after about three months, but I’m being dead serious here. Your leg is going to be stained with colors for at least another two months—we're talking a full spectrum, ranging from deep navy blues all the way to a sickly pale yellow... I was completely unable to walk for some six or seven days, stuck relying solely on crutches, then I spent another week or so walking tentatively, constantly watching my step just to stay upright, and only after that did everything feel relatively normal. The only catch is this persistent swelling that refuses to budge; mine stayed swollen and discolored, looking like one giant, massive bruise. At the end of the day, you'll feel like a brand-new person after two weeks, but honestly, it doesn't matter if you're dealing with swelling for two months or longer. The only thing that truly matters is that you aren't losing half your leg...

Sometimes you just need a chiropractor to pop that ankle back into its rightful place...
You can get away with using ice three times a day, maybe doing some light circular motions for a few minutes, but honestly, if you go overboard with it, you’re just going to trigger even more inflammation.
My old-school doctor used to swear by an old folk remedy for resetting joints—basically mixing apple cider vinegar with water and applying it as a compress on a cotton or linen cloth; apparently, it helps soothe the swelling from a sprain and takes the edge off the pain...

Is it actually possible to have complications during ligament healing? I dealt with the worst kind—a grade 3 ankle injury, basically a total ligament rupture.
It’s been nearly three months now, and there's still some swelling and a lingering ache. When I just sit there and shake my foot loosely, I get this unsettling sensation... as if the joint isn't quite seated right, like it’s just too flimsy? And every single time I stand up to take a step, I feel this internal "pop" or skip. Plus, every few hours when I move it around, it cracks—sort of like that sound you make when you crack your knuckles. Oh, and I still can't fully squat.

I’ve been riding bikes for five years now, but let’s be honest—I don't just ride; I pull stunts. I’m constantly jumping off walls and various obstacles, and that’s exactly where the trouble started. Whenever I walk, both of my ankles make this clicking, popping sound. I went in for ultrasounds and X-rays, and the doctors basically told me everything looks fine on paper, so it shouldn't matter if it hurts. How is that even possible?
Then yesterday, I messed up a landing, landed wrong, and completely twisted my ankle. To make matters worse, I put my full weight right onto it. Now, both sides of the ankle are swollen. The outer side is killing me, and while the inner side isn't quite as painful, the swelling there is significantly worse (that's my left leg).
The only way I can even move is by walking on my toes. If I try to put my foot flat on the ground, I can't stand at all unless I tilt my foot at a weird angle. Basically, I have to walk on the outer edge of my foot just to avoid the pain.
On top of that, I can't flex my toes all the way like I can with my other foot. Please, I need some advice. I know I've strained the ligaments, but what is the fastest way to get back to my normal state?
For now, I've been icing it, but honestly, that just seems to make the pain feel even more intense afterward.

Angela Murphy2 said:I’ve been riding bikes for five years now, but let’s be honest—I don't just ride; I pull stunts. I’m constantly jumping off walls and various obstacles, and that’s exactly where the trouble started. Whenever I walk, both of my ankles make this clicking, popping sound. I went in for ultrasounds and X-rays, and the doctors basically told me everything looks fine on paper, so it shouldn't matter if it hurts. How is that even possible?
Then yesterday, I messed up a landing, landed wrong, and completely twisted my ankle. To make matters worse, I put my full weight right onto it. Now, both sides of the ankle are swollen. The outer side is killing me, and while the inner side isn't quite as painful, the swelling there is significantly worse (that's my left leg).
The only way I can even move is by walking on my toes. If I try to put my foot flat on the ground, I can't stand at all unless I tilt my foot at a weird angle. Basically, I have to walk on the outer edge of my foot just to avoid the pain.
On top of that, I can't flex my toes all the way like I can with my other foot. Please, I need some advice. I know I've strained the ligaments, but what is the fastest way to get back to my normal state?
For now, I've been icing it, but honestly, that just seems to make the pain feel even more intense afterward.

And how are you supposed to know if you didn't break something? Go see a doctor and get an X-ray.

I honestly don't know... I know I need to go, but whenever I think about the ER in Miami, I start feeling lightheaded. Honestly, why can't they just scrap the whole "Emergency Room" branding and just leave the actual medical assistance? It would be much less intimidating. 😉
Anyway, I've been sitting here with ice on it for about fifteen minutes now. My fingers are so swollen I feel like I could snap them all right now.

Angela Murphy2 said:I honestly don't know... I know I need to go, but whenever I think about the ER in Miami, I start feeling lightheaded. Honestly, why can't they just scrap the whole "Emergency Room" branding and just leave the actual medical assistance? It would be much less intimidating. 😉
Anyway, I've been sitting here with ice on it for about fifteen minutes now. My fingers are so swollen I feel like I could snap them all right now.

Still, you should film it...

Seriously, get yourself to an urgent care or a sports med clinic right away. It’s probably just a ligament strain, but you can't afford to mess around with stuff like this!
For later, I'd grab an ankle brace with Celliant. You can find them on Amazon. It’ll speed up your recovery and kill the pain—I've used one myself!

So, I headed over to the ER at 10:00 PM. I finally got seen, only for them to tell me nothing was wrong and just hand me a referral for an X-ray. They sent me down to Radiology for the imaging, and after everything, they basically told me my bone isn't even cracked or fractured—just "good luck" and goodbye.
If they had actually sent me for an ultrasound to check the ligaments, we might be getting somewhere. But did they? No.
Now, I have to go back to my doctor tomorrow for an ultrasound referral, and then I get to wait another three months just to get on the schedule. It’s the exact same runaround I dealt with when I went in for the X-ray just because my ankles were making those clicking noises.

They’re definitely going to pin you down and tell you to stay put, no question about it!

So, this happens to me pretty frequently—since I tend to walk on the outer edge of my feet—that my foot just rolls out during sudden movements. It’s never been anything serious, honestly; usually, it just hurts for a couple of days and then moves on. But, since I play tennis recreationally, I really want some advice on how to protect my ankles from getting damaged like that. What kind of support would you guys recommend, and where can I actually pick some up? Thanks!

Grab an ankle brace, but seriously, make sure you get a high-quality one.

Exactly! That’s precisely why I’m reaching out for some advice here 🙂

Go hit up some sporting goods stores and see what they've got.

I’ve already done some digging, but honestly, there just isn't much to choose from around here—so I'm thinking about making the trek out to a bigger city, I just need to figure out exactly what I should be looking for first.

I mean, some big-name brands should definitely be better than the generic stuff, just so we aren't basically running an ad here.

Celliant is the latest craze coming out of the States. Pro athletes over there have been using it forever, but it’s just hitting the market here.

If you want the scoop, shoot me a DM.

So, here I am—still dealing with this absolute nightmare of an ankle injury. It’s been about nine months since I originally trashed it, and honestly, the recovery has been a slog. I actually had to go under the knife this week because my range of motion was basically non-existent; I couldn't even perform a simple calf raise without issues. I'm curious, though—has anyone else here dealt with severe ankle trauma? In my case, I ended up tearing two ligaments. How are you all managing to walk normally now? Do you actually have your full range of motion back, or is it a permanent struggle?

I figured I’d jump in here too...
I broke a bone near my ankle about four months ago. Spent a month in a brace and a cast, then moved straight into rehab. Did five weeks of physical therapy—everything felt fine at first, but now I'm hitting a bit of a wall...
My range of motion is decent—it isn't quite back to how the healthy leg feels, but it’s about where it was right when I got the cast off—but I still can't make any sudden movements. If I try to sprint or move too fast, the ligaments start pulling and the pain kicks in... I'm still working on the mobility, not every single day, just whenever I have a spare few minutes to focus on it...
My therapist mentioned this could help, but I'm still holding out hope that there might be something else out there...

Does anyone have any experience with this or perhaps some advice?..