NDR: If you have sprained your ankle.....

[Deleted]

I stepped in a shallow hole on Saturday while helping DH in the yard and turned over my right ankle. Even though it seems to be a pretty mild sprain (I didn't hear anything pop), I have stayed off it as best I can and it's wrapped up in an Ace bandage with coaches tape on top of that. I didn't even feel it until I woke up the next morning. I stayed in Sunday and kept it propped up all day and I worked from home half a day on Monday and all day yesterday. My question is, is it normal for the pain and stiffness to start extending upward alongside the base of your calf? I can't tell if the sprain is worse than I thought or if it's just stiffness or what have you from trying to redistribute my weight. Should I see a doctor at this point or is this a normal part of the healing process?

[mrssavy42112]

I'd see a doctor. It shouldn't be getting worse, but getting better. I have ankle issues on a daily basis and they are always stiff. It shouldn't be going that high up on your leg. Have you tried to take any ibuprophen or naproxen to relieve the inflammation? (I'd still see a Dr.)

[Susie]

It might just be sore from propping it up on things. I think this is a "use your intuition" kind of thing. I know it can be hard to tell the difference between soreness and injury, but that's the important distinction.

[meags816]

Your peroneal tendon runs down the side-ish of your calf into your ankle if I understand if correctly. I'm a runner and had a mild ankle sprain fairly recently and I definitely felt it in my calf at times. I saw a sports medicine doc who did some active release massage on that leg and worked on the huge knot in my calf. I felt improvement in my ankle as well. You may want to see a dr but you should also think about icing that ankle. 20 min on 20 off. Ankle sprains really suck. Kept me off my game for two months. Alsoy doc told me that ankle issues are often indicative of hip weakness as well and gave me strength exercises for that too.

[mrs.jacinthe]

I work for an orthopedic surgeon, and honestly, ankle sprain/strains can be tricky. There are a lot of tendons and ligaments in that area. Obviously, this is not actual medical advice, since I'm not an actual doctor, but if it were me, I'd continue wrapping and taking Ibuprofen, but I'd start doing some range of motion stuff and mild stretching. It's possible that you're feeling tightness from disuse. If it doesn't improve after a week or so, or you get significant swelling or the pain increases, I'd see a doctor.