Why does my sprained ankle still hurt after years?

“An ankle sprain that lingers beyond 3 months is often an injury to a bone, tendon or ligament that is unlikely to heal without intervention,” he says. “And the longer an ankle injury persists without proper treatment, the greater the likelihood that permanent disability will result.” In other words, Dr.

Can a sprained ankle turn into arthritis?

Unfortunately, it is indeed possible to develop arthritis in your ankle years after an ankle sprain—even if you did absolutely everything right in treatment and the injury fully healed.

What happens if a sprained ankle is not treated?

A sprained ankle can turn into a serious chronic instability if left untreated. When you leave torn ligaments to heal on their own, they can fuse together haphazardly and form weak, inflexible scar tissue. Your range of motion can suffer tremendously, resulting in difficulty walking for the long term.

Can you have permanent damage from a sprained ankle?

All it takes is one harmless misstep to leave you with a sprained ankle. While it’s one of the most common musculoskeletal injuries in people of all ages, it can lead to permanent damage if you aren’t careful.

What are the long term effects of an ankle sprain?

The result is decreased coordination of the ankle. Watch someone who recently sprained his or her ankle attempt to balance on his or her leg: you will see a general lack of balance and coordination that is reflective of this phenomenon. A second clinical problem seen long after the initial ankle sprain is chronic stiffness.

Will an ankle sprain heal on its own?

An ankle sprain is one of the most common injuries in sports. Many people don’t even see a doctor for the injury. Most heal on their own, and people return to sports and exercise without any trouble. If you continue to have ankle pain weeks after an ankle sprain, how can you know if something is wrong?

How do I know if my ankle is sprained or sprained?

Watch someone who recently sprained his or her ankle attempt to balance on his or her leg: you will see a general lack of balance and coordination that is reflective of this phenomenon. A second clinical problem seen long after the initial ankle sprain is chronic stiffness.

How long after an ankle injury do you have pain?

However, those five percent, they still have, for example, four, six months after the initial injury, they still have some pain in the ankle or especially the instability feeling. Specifically, when the patient tries to walk on an uneven surface.