Why is my ankle still swollen years after a sprain?

A sprain that happened years ago can leave residual weakness that isn’t noticed in normal daily activity, but subjecting the ankle to rigorous physical activity can further damage improperly-healed ligaments, and cause persistent pain and swelling.

Can a sprained ankle cause problems later in life?

Ankle Sprains and Arthritis The American Journal of Sports medicine found that repetitive injury and other symptoms of chronic ankle instability can lead to early-onset osteoarthritis, which can cause pain and dysfunction later in life.

Can sprained ankles ever fully heal?

They can take longer to heal and sometimes require longer than three months to resolve with treatments like splinting, wearing a boot or a walking cast, and physical therapy. With the proper treatment, however, your high ankle sprain can heal completely.

How do you know if you have a Grade 3 ankle sprain?

Grade 3: This is a full tear of the ankle ligament. You may have heard a popping sound when it happened. This level of sprain causes severe pain, swelling and bruising. Because the ligament is no longer able to do its job, your ankle will feel unstable and will be unable to support any of your weight.

What are the signs and symptoms of a sprained ankle?

Signs and symptoms of a sprained ankle vary depending on the severity of the injury. They may include: Pain, especially when you bear weight on the affected foot. Tenderness when you touch the ankle. Swelling. Bruising. Restricted range of motion. Instability in the ankle.

Why does my ankle still swell after sprain treatment?

If you have sprained your ankle and despite conservative therapy are still having swelling and pain this is an important warning sign. Persistent swelling is an indication that there is underlying irritation and joint dysfunction. Most likely your continued ankle swelling is due to joint instability.

Why does my ankle hurt months after an inversion ankle sprain?

This patient has nagging pain at the side and back of the ankle months after an inversion ankle sprain. This pain is caused by torn tendons. If bracing and physical therapy does not resolve the ankle injury with time, the best treatment is surgery to repair the damaged tendons.

How do you treat an ankle sprain without surgery?

Sometimes targeted physical therapy and gentle stretching exercises will help get you over the hump, or maybe you need to scale back the physical activity. Don’t just assume time will heal your ankle sprain, really commit to an active treatment plan to see if that helps.