Been a year since my awful ankle sprain. I still have around 20% swelling which increases a bit after walking for quite some time. There’s moderate pain every once in a blue moon. So should I use ice packs or contrast hydrotherapy.
mine was broken, surgery/screws. Therapists last year said ice only. I still hurt and swell over a year out, I should be icing.
icing is best!! elevate if you can! even if only for 20 mins . it makes all the difference!
Is your gait totally back to normal now?
Yeah I try to elevate as much as I can. How many times in a day to I have to ice it?
No, because it still hurts. With tenny shoes it’s much better, because it compresses a bit. And I was told ice as much as possible, 20 on and 20 off. We all have lives and can’t do that, but get it in as much as you can in a day…I have to start following my own advice lol it really does help.
These ankle injuries are really the worst. 
I’ve tried so many shoes and nothing feels good.
For sure, worst ever. I had to go up a size to fit my huge ankle. I love heels, but that seems like a never again, none of mine work now. Really the best feeling is when I’m barefoot and wrap my ankle tight with a wrap - it almost feels normal. I actually have a doc appt in a few weeks, over a year now and still feel like there is a huge rock sitting in there, I want a new picture.
My physio advised me to use heel cup in every shoe and even that didn’t help much. I’m just using my normal Nike shoe now without anything. Yeah barefoot feels a lot better when I’m at home. These injuries don’t heal easily and test your patience a lot. BTW, are you still doing any ankle strengthening/stability exercises?
I’m not, but I’m constantly stretching my ankle while I sit. My range of motion is great, just the swelling and feeling as if something doesn’t belong in there exists. Your sprain must have been nasty given you are still feeling it. Maybe this is it for me, unless I remove the hardware - things to ask my doc. It’s a long road all this ankle business.
Yeah I’ve heard some ankle sprains are more bothering than fractures. So I’ve been advised to continue exercising as much as I can.
i would say as much as you can. 15 mins on-15 off. and just alternate. I always have so much relief after I ice! I’m 11 weeks out from having ORIF ankle surgery and some days are better than others. Some days im fine- others my ankles swells up so bad. The icing is what helps me the most!!