How long will it take before I can walk after spraining my ankle?

Spraining an ankle is a common phenomenon. Sometimes people sprain their ankles because they walk carelessly. After spraining your ankle, some people may have fractured their bones, while others may have ruptured the tendons in their feet. So no matter which one it is, it is very serious and should be treated promptly. However, some people need to walk as soon as possible for various reasons. So how long will it take before you can walk after a sprained or broken ankle?

Bones can usually grow back in a month, but at this time the bones cannot bear the force. You can walk slowly, and it takes 3 months to fully recover. Appropriate supplementation in the early stage of fracture may be conducive to healing. Animal liver, seafood, soybeans, sunflower seeds, and mushrooms contain more zinc; animal liver, eggs, beans, green leafy vegetables, and wheat flour contain more iron; oatmeal, mustard, egg yolk, and cheese contain more manganese, so patients with fractures can eat more of them. Eat more vegetables rich in vitamin C, such as tomatoes, amaranth, greens, cabbage, and carrots, to promote the growth of fibrous callus and wound healing.

treat

After an ankle sprain occurs, you should go to the hospital emergency department immediately. Before going to the hospital, if conditions permit, you can follow the principles for treatment. The principles include rest, which can be further understood as avoiding weight bearing, applying ice, applying pressure bandages, and elevating the affected limb. After the consultation, the doctor will assess the injury and decide on the treatment plan.

Generally, milder lateral ankle ligament injuries can be treated conservatively. The conservative treatment plan usually involves fixing the ankle joint in a slightly everted neutral position with plaster or a brace. The fixation period is 3 to 6 weeks. Try to avoid weight bearing during the fixation period. Appropriate rehabilitation training should be carried out immediately after the removal of the plaster or brace to prevent muscle atrophy and possible joint adhesion. The patient can walk with weight after the plaster is removed. After rehabilitation, muscle strength can usually be restored and sports activities can be resumed after three months.

For patients with more severe lateral ankle ligament injuries, ankle instability and joint capsule tears, surgical treatment to repair the ligament is recommended to prevent recurrent sprains caused by ankle instability. After the operation, plaster fixation is required for 3 to 6 weeks, and weight-bearing walking can be allowed after the plaster is removed. Generally, you can resume sports activities three months to six months after surgery.

Simple medial ankle ligament injury rarely occurs. Patients with a history of eversion sprain accompanied by pain and swelling in the medial ankle should be highly suspected of having other combined injuries. Simple medial ankle ligament injury can be fixed in a neutral position with mild inversion using plaster or a brace for 3 to 6 weeks. Rehabilitation training should be carried out immediately after the plaster is removed to prevent muscle atrophy and joint adhesion. You can resume physical activities in about three months. More serious medial ankle ligament injuries are usually accompanied by fractures or other ligament injuries, in which case surgical treatment is required.