Ankle pain is the most obvious sign that you’re still not fully recovered from an ankle sprain, but the absence of pain doesn’t always mean that your ankle injury is in the rearview mirror. There are some other signs that suggest you’re still dealing with the fallout of an ankle sprain. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at four issues that suggest you’re still bothered by an ankle sprain, even if pain isn’t present.
Signs Of A Lingering Ankle Sprain
If any of the following statements are true, it’s a good idea to connect with a foot and ankle specialist in order to help fully put your ankle injury behind you. Here are four signs that suggest you’re still not over your ankle sprain, even if pain is no longer present:
1. Difficultly Balancing On One Leg – If you are finding it harder to balance on your injured leg than your uninjured leg, it’s a sign that you’re still dealing with some unaddressed ligament damage in the area. Your ligaments are damaged during a sprain, and they help to provide stability to the ankle joint. If you are struggling to remain balanced on one foot, its likely due to joint instability caused by lingering ligament damage.
2. Loss Of Confidence – Your ankle may not be painful any longer, but do you still have the same level of trust in it that you had prior to your injury? If you have lost some confidence in your ankle’s ability to handle some physical stress you might throw at it, this suggests that you have some lingering ankle instability to address. If your ankle feels lose, unstable or you’re just not confident that you can push off or land hard on your feet without risking further injury, problems from your initial ankle sprain likely persist.
3. Limited Range Of Motion – If you’re feeling tightness, pain or loss of flexibility in your ankle when you try to maneuver it in a number of different directions, odds are you’re still working to overcome some soft tissue damage. Sit on a chair, put your feet out in front of you and manipulate them in different directions. If your injured ankle feels different than your uninjured ankle, or it has less mobility, you’re not yet healed from your ankle sprain.
4. Swelling – If one ankle remains slightly larger than the other, it means that your body is still producing an inflammatory response in order to help protect the ankle. If one sock or shoe feels tighter than the other, it’s an indication that fluid is still pooling in the area and that your body isn’t fully over the ankle sprain.