Time for the doctor?

Laurelin

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#1
:( I think it might be.

When I was 22 or around there I was walking to a class and took a bad step and fell down. All the way to the ground and my ankle popped really loudly. It was searing pain up my leg to the point that my eyes teared up. I had a test or something important so I stood up for a few minutes, holding my foot off the ground then limped to class. My ankle swelled up really big and turned purple. A&M is a big campus though and I continued walking on it a lot the next few days just to get to class.

3 days later and I fell again going down some stairs. All the way to the ground again and ended up having to sit on the stairs for a while before being able to put any weight on it.

Fast forward some time and I bet I re-injured it 4 or 5 more times that semester. Since then it goes in spurts. It's been doing really well until last week. I've fallen all the way down 5 times this week. Sunday I fell really badly and scraped up my knees and my hands. I fell again at work today. Nothing major just took a step and whoosh. Argh, it's so frustrating.

I can't run on it either and can make it pop every time I move it. I've tried an ankle brace but it always seems to make it ache more. I guess I for sure should stop wearing heels. And try to lose some weight.

I am terrified of having to have surgery on it. :(
 

Laurelin

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#3
Yeah it's been going in and out for four years now. I was hoping it would magically go away.

It usually doesn't swell up anymore. After a minute or so I can usually put weight on it and after walking on it a bit, it feels better.
 
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#5
I'd think at least an x-ray is in order. I sprained mine badly playing basketball -- it swelled like you described yours -- and I had to do a lot of exercises to strengthen those muscles again.
 

Laurelin

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#6
:( I think I really just needed to hear someone else tell me to buck up and go.

I always wonder if it has anything to do with being in pointe ballet so long.
 

Shai

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#10
Yeah sounds like an X-ray would be good idea...see what's really going on in there :/
 

Beanie

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#11
MRI would be better in case it's a stress fracture, x-ray can't always see those. But yes, it's definitely doctor time. =/ I hope it's nothing major.
 

Kilter

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#12
Yeah sounds like an X-ray would be good idea...see what's really going on in there :/
Yup!

DH injured his knee last Christmas. Went to the ER and nothing was broken, so they gave him a splint and said the swelling had to go away before they could do anything. He used crutches but being male also tried without here and there and yep, would fall down the stairs and so on. He started physio but then got sent to a different clinic and two weeks later was in for surgery to repair the tendon that had split. Took a week or so to recover and slowly got stronger but he's much better now.

Had he just limped through the pain and not had surgery he'd likely be in the same boat as you and doing the random fall thing.
 

joce

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#13
My right ankle goes out like that. Did it all the time for years, seemed to straighten up for a while, and now does it again. I have a thing where I kinda drag my foot (more catching my toes)every once in a while though so I wonder if that's what makes me catch that ankle and what made it to bad in the first place? I have had a clear MRI as far as what's making me trip and I just brace my ankle a couple days and I'm good.

My dr told me any turning of the ankle can weaken it and I think you turn in and out in ballet.

Just call your dr and explain what's been going on. They can order you the X-ray or MRI and refer you based on that.
 

Saeleofu

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#14
I thought this was going to be something totally different when I read the title...shows what I've spent my day doing lol!

I sprained my ankle shortly before I got Logan 2 1/2 years ago. I kept re-injuring it for the next year, and it wasn't "healed" until nearly 2 years out. Even now, I have days where it's super sore. I'm still at risk for re-injuring it unless I'm wearing my VFFs, and I have come close to doing so several times.

I sprained mine when I was drunk (I was running around a corner towards my room and slipped on the carpet). As soon as I sprained it I decided it was bed time and slept for 8 hours. That probably helped, as it wasn't overloaded immediately. But when I got up the next morning - OUCH! I had to go to class, so I vet-wrapped it and went, then went to the medical facility on campus and had it looked at. She told me to use an air cast thing or an ankle brace for the first week or two and then slowly wean off of it. I still use a type of brace on occasion, especially if I'm going to be running much (it's not rigid, it's flexible and allows for natural movement, but does provide some support and keeps the joint warm). She did say that sprains take much longer to heal than fractures, so expect a minimum of two months before I see much improvement. After a year I saw my regular doctor and he said it just takes time, and to just try to protect it when needed and exercise it to regain full function.

All in all, I do think you ought to see a doctor (maybe not THE Doctor, though ;) )
 

Locke

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#15
Your tendons/ligaments are probably so stretched/torn that you have zero stability in your ankle now.
Getting diagnosed and going to a physiotherapist will help you get some strength back in your ankle.

I tore a ligament in my ankle and it took over a year to fully heal and I still don't have full range of motion, but without physio, I probably would never have been able to play sports again.
 

Doberluv

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#16
It's probably going to require a lot of rest, then physical therapy, I'd guess. Torn ligaments and over stretched tendons can take a lot of time to feel better...sometimes years. It could be that you have done something to those tissues. I know how painful it can be. I screwed up my ankle badly skiing...tore ligaments and tendons that kept me on crutches for 2-3 months and still wasn't right for a long time. It finally doesn't give me any trouble, but it did for a number of years. Lots of vibes that it's nothing that will require any major procedure.
 

Dogdragoness

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#17
I'm having the same prob with my kick injury on my shoulder is really starting to hurt now (it's been 5 mos since the injury) & I have recently started trying to weight lift with it & put it "under strain".

I would say get it checked out.
 

Laurelin

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#18
Meh. It's definitely not fun whatever is wrong. I really ahd thought it had finally healed. It didn't hurt or go out for a few months then it goes out so randomly.

I'll call my DR and see what she thinks.
 

milos_mommy

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#19
It doesn't sound *horrible* but if you don't get it checked out and keep reinjuring it, it might get way worse.

You may just need physical therapy and the doctor can maybe give you a more comfortable brace. Hopefully you won't need surgery, but if it's not super painful all the time, you probably won't
 

yoko

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#20
I'd have it checked out. I injured my knee back in middle school and occasionally I'll reinjure it or it will go out.

I COULD have surgery. But my doctor says that if I did some strengthening exercises it would help and I wouldn't have to go through surgery and recovery.

I did them for a while and even though I'm still paranoid about it I haven't had any problems with it in about five years.
 

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