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Dislocated Ankle, 3 1/2 months, still hurts

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hey, I was pole vaulting about 3 1/2 months ago, and i landed in the box! I rolled my ankle down the side of the mat and my ankle formed a 90 degree angle inward. The doctor reset it, and casted it, then i went to physio 2 weeks later, ect.. the usual, but I still have pain on the outside of the heel in the back, right under the ankle bone, is this normal? shouldnt it be healed by now?…I was at the skatepark the other day, and i’ve been running. It’s stable like its healed, but still hurts..idunno what to make of it..any ideas?

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2 comments

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    9 10

    I’m in the same boat. 9 weeks ago I dislocated my right ankle in a soccer game. I first thought it was broken. It was rolled inward @ 90degrees. I put it back in place on the field.(stupid move)
    I’ve been going to physical therapy at a sports clinic 3x a week since the accident. Each time is about 1.5 hours. Electric Stim., Ultrasound, heat, massage and various exercises. It’s still painful when I push the limit and it does swell to some degree everyday. Luckily riding the bike doesn’t hurt but it still swells. There is a noticable difference in it’s size from getting out of bed in the morning compared to it at night. EVERYDAY!!
    I go back to the orthopedic surgeon on 23Sept03 to discuss having an MRI or CT done and weighing my options for a surgery. On my last visit to the orthopedic he said that if the swelling did not go away within 12 weeks of injury, other than surgery, he would recommend a boot for 6 weeks to keep it completly immobile allowing it to heal.
    I am also unsure what to do. I really trust my Dr. because I’ve spoken to several other athletes he’s done work on and they are back doing triathlons after successful knee & ankle operations.
    Let me know how things go. GOOD LUCK!!
    _________________
    “To prepare for a race there is nothing better than a good phesant, some champagne and a woman.” — Jacques Anquetil

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    9 10

    If you rolled your ankle as badly as you say you did, then 3 and half months is not a long time when it comes to healing.

    You have probably injured the tendons and ligaments around the joint, and unfortunatly these can take a long time to heal.

    You may still see improvment with the pain over a year later. Sometimes even longer. And that’s a positive thing, don’t think oh no, that’s forever, it means whatever pain you are experiencing “now” isn’t gonna be there forever but will keep improving slowly.

    You say it seems stable, but if you would like to do some exercises that may help in this area try this:-
    Close both eyes and then lift the good ankle off the floor, balancing on the injured one.
    Apparantly this will help with your sub concious muscle contractions that support the joint when needed. Hard to describe in a few words, but trust me it makes sense!

    If you really are still worried about the injury there’s no harm in seeking advise from a pro. Better safe than sorry. Apart from that, just be patient.

    Hope that helps,
    Sarah

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