Who here has experience with a rolled ankle? How long does it usually take to get better? Last Friday, I rolled my ankle for the first time ever playing basketball...I was able to walk on it right after, and I still can with just a little pain. It's still slightly bruised, my foot is still a little swollen from my ankle to the top of my foot, and it's also slightly discolored. I'm dying to get on the court again, but running and jumping just doesn't seem like a good idea right now...so what can I do to speed up recovery? I haven't really done much to it since I got hurt...
It depends on the severity. I did it MANY times on concrete and on uneven surfaces and cracks on the sidewalk. I learned to live with weak ankles. Put ICE on it, even if it was last week. Continue to ICE IT DOWN even if it was days ago, until it doesn't bother you. You're still walking on tendons and ligaments that haven't healed and you're not letting them heal on their own. Lie down and raise your ankle over your heart level with a pillow when you get on a bed and rest. Buy an ice pack like they make them for baby diaper bags or just put crushed ice in a zip-loc bag and put a thin layer of cloth in between the bag and the injured area. Hold it against the damaged area with a towel wrapped or a t-shirt tied around it. Ice will make your body think you're not working out the foot and heal faster. You disturbed some muscles and ligaments when you walked on it again. Let them heal and try not to put all your body weight on the foot. Use crutches if it hurts stepping with that foot.
I've always heard the exact opposite. Walk on it as much as possible to increase blood flow which should hasten healing.
It depends on how bad it was (it doesn't sound too bad since you could walk on it afterward) and how well you take care of it. You should be ok in another week or so, but that's just a guess. Keep it wrapped with ace bandages or an ankle brace whenever possible and keep it elevated when you're not standing up. Also, applying ice/heat/ice in 20 minute intervals a couple of times a day will help. Once you start playing again get some pre-wrap and athletic tape and wrap it the first few times you play.
Who told you this, the JAZZ trainer? http://www.health-alliance.com/Living/Ortho/play_12-01.html /thread
I came down on mine going for a rebound in high school, had to be wheel chaired out. Could not put any weight on it at first. I was able to hop around an shoot after about a week and a half. It was good to go after about 2 weeks. When it happened, my coach came over and pushed on the bottom of my foot with a little pressure. He said if i couldn't feel his fingers it was most likely broke. It wasn't though.
Deliberately stay off it Elevate it Air it out every few days so it doesn't smell bad Tickle it with a feather to make sure there isn't nerve damage Heal it with a magic potion
Recommend getting big jar of marbles. Pour marbles onto the thickest carpet in your house (or even grass outside). Sit in chair and pick marbles up with your feet and put marbles in jar. Get strong ankles this way. Use to play a lot of ball, and once I started this, I never sprained another ankle.
When I sprained my ankle it took almost 3 weeks to recover. No exaggerating, it was the size of a soft ball when I twisted taking a fadeaway in my driveway, I landed directly on the side of the driveway that meets the grass and is slightly inclined. Freakin hurts man! Stay off it for about 1 week and a half to 2. Just to be sure.
R.E.S.T. always works. Also, put your foot in hot water, move it around, do that for like 2 mins then put it in cold water and dont move it, leave it in cold water for like 2 mins also. Do that back and forth, that is supposed to improve blood flow and reduce swelling, therefore, less pain and maybe walkin on it sooner.
Oooohh, I still remember the first time I sprained my ankle. That hurts. Anyways I've sprained my ankle plenty of times that now I just keep on running on it until the pain goes away, I cant wait not being able to play.
M - Manage it with ice. A - Apples. Eat it. S - Stare at it. T - Tickle it. As said before. E - Elevate R - Rest B - Bounce it once and a while A - Don't forget the apples. T - Tickle it again. E - Enjoy your time off.
wekko368, which part of the article is saying what you said? Also, Julio-R- says: It's already been a week, and it's all discolored and still "a little swollen"?!?!? He needs to see a doctor because something may have broken or torn inside where the discoloration happened.
You should of been icing it down since day one... also keep it elevate and take ibuprophen (sp?). I twisted/sprained my ankle pretty bad a few years ago. It swoll up and was bruised badly. I was off it for about a month before I hit the court again. It takes time man, don't rush back and do more permanent damage to your ankle.
OP said he was able to walk on it right after he sprained it, and he's experiencing only a little pain. Seems to me like it's not severe enough to warrant a few days worth of rest. As such, he should walk on it as much as possible.
It is also with a "U" instead of the first "E". Should be: T - Tickle it. As said before. U - Uganda rocks! R - Rest :grin: wekko, it's still SwoLlen-D after a WEEK. He shouldn't have walked on it, is my point, sir.
