How do I know when my sprained ankle is fully healed?

To determine whether your ankle has healed enough for you to return to athletic activities, your physical therapist or doctor will evaluate your walking and weight bearing ability. They may also ask you to hop on that foot. You may need an X-ray or other diagnostic imagery to determine whether healing is complete.
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Can a sprained ankle ever fully recover?

When you sprain your ankle, the ligaments stretch, or even tear. These ligaments are important for keeping your ankle stable when you move. Proper rehabilitation strengthens the muscles around the ankle, allowing it to heal completely.
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Is your ankle ever the same after a sprain?

Proprioception has an especially important role in weight-bearing joints, such as the ankle. When you sprain an ankle, proprioceptors become damaged. This impairs the body's ability to right itself, and makes it more likely you will sprain that same ankle again.
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How long should I let my ankle heal?

Mild, low-grade ankle sprains will usually heal in one to three weeks with proper rest and non-surgical care( such as applying ice). Moderate injuries may take between three and four weeks. Because of limited blood flow to the ligaments of the ankle, more severe injuries may take between three and six months to heal.
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Why is my sprained ankle still swollen after 5 weeks?

"An ankle sprain that lingers beyond 3 months is often an injury to a bone, tendon or ligament that is unlikely to heal without intervention," he says. "And the longer an ankle injury persists without proper treatment, the greater the likelihood that permanent disability will result."
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Mayo Clinic Minute: Ankle sprains 101



Why is my ankle still swollen after 4 weeks?

It's normal for a sprained ankle to swell, sometimes for four to six weeks, or longer. But swelling that persists for more than three months may be a sign of trouble.
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What helps ligaments heal faster?

Balance, control, and strengthening exercises can also help your ligaments heal more quickly than they otherwise would.
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How do I know if I tore ligaments in my ankle?

If you have torn your ankle ligament, symptoms include:
  1. Swelling around your ankle joint.
  2. A feeling of instability.
  3. Bruising – sometimes up your lower leg and into your foot.
  4. Tenderness to touch.
  5. Pain when putting weight on your ankle.
  6. Popping sound at the time of injury.
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Why do ankles take so long to heal?

Because of limited blood flow to the ligaments of the ankle, more severe ankle injuries may take between three and six months to heal.
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Do ligaments ever fully heal?

As discussed earlier, ligament healing is slow and often incomplete. Joint laxity caused by ligament injury improves slowly over a period of six weeks to a year. However, at six weeks to one year after injury, a large percentage of patients still have objective mechanical laxity and subjective joint instability.
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When can I run after spraining my ankle?

As mentioned previously a mild sprain may see a return to running in 1-2 weeks, a very severe sprain may need 4-6 months. In order to return to running without risking re-injury, you need a full range of movement in the ankle, good muscle power (with equal calf strength) and good control of movement.
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How long will my ankle be swollen after a sprain?

Swelling normally doesn't appear immediately. It could take several hours to develop. If you develop swelling, it could last up to 48 hours for a mild to moderate sprain. Swelling on severe sprains may last longer until your torn ligament heals.
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How can I make my ankle heal faster?

Treatment
  1. Rest. Avoid doing the activity that caused the sprain, such as running or playing sports. ...
  2. Ice. Using ice packs can help reduce swelling and pain.
  3. Compression. Taping the sprained toe to an adjacent healthy toe can be helpful. ...
  4. Elevation.
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Can a Grade 3 ankle sprain heal on its own?

Nearly all isolated low ankle sprains can be treated without surgery. Even a complete ligament tear (Grade 3) will heal without surgical repair if it is immobilized and rehabilitated appropriately.
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What is a grade 3 ankle sprain?

Grade 3: This is a complete tear of the affected ligament(s) with severe swelling and bruising. The ankle is unstable and walking is likely not possible because the ankle gives out and there is intense pain.
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Is walking good for torn ligaments?

The short answer is yes. After the pain and swelling subsides and if there is no other injury to your knee, you may be able to walk in straight lines, go up and down stairs and even potentially jog in a straight line.
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Can you walk on a grade 3 ankle sprain?

Grade 3 sprain

The joint probably isn't functional because it's too unstable, and movement creates intense pain. If you have a grade 3 sprain in the ankle, for example, walking usually isn't possible. Grade 3 sprains often require a brace or cast for at least a couple of weeks.
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What foods help repair ligaments?

These nutrients have all been shown to support and repair ligaments, tendons, and discs.
  • Manganese – nuts, legumes, seeds, whole grains, leafy green veggies.
  • Omega-3 – as listed above, salmon, mackerel, etc.
  • Vitamin A – liver, carrots, sweet potato, kale, spinach, apricots, broccoli, winter squash.
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Why do ligaments heal slowly?

Ligaments attach bones to other bones. They generally have a more limited blood supply than either muscle or tendon – lengthening their healing time.
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Can ligament tear heal itself?

While a torn ligament can heal on its own over time, it is best to seek out medical attention to ensure that the affected area heals correctly without a lot of excessive scarring.
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Should a sprained ankle still hurt after 2 months?

So What Do You Do If Your Ankle Still Hurts After 3 Months? Simply put “If pain persists, see a foot health professional”. I know it sounds cliché, but seriously, if pain or discomfort persists further treatment may be required. Fortunately, there is a treatment option: Foot Mobilisation Therapy (FMT).
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Can a sprained ankle be swollen for months?

One important thing to keep in mind is that ankle swelling can last 2-3 months after the injury, even if the pain has completely gone away. Compression socks can alleviate the swelling, but time is the best medicine. More severe ankle sprains may require additional treatment.
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Should you stretch a sprained ankle?

How do I stretch my ankle after a sprain? After the initial pain and swelling from your ankle sprain have subsided (usually within 5-7 days) and you can tolerate weight on your foot, you can begin stretching exercises in stages. The goal of these exercises is to restore your ankle's range of motion.
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Does walking on a sprained ankle make it heal faster?

Walking. The pain and swelling that immediately follow an ankle sprain may be severe. This can make it impossible for a person to put any weight on the joint. As the swelling goes down, walking can promote healing.
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How long do ligaments take to heal?

Mild ligament sprains can take from two to four weeks to heal, and moderate sprains may take more than 10 weeks. The healing time increases from six months to a year if surgery is needed.
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