Question
Hi,
About 8 weeks ago, I was standing and turned my hips and not my feet and felt a weird sensation in my right ankle. Right away it would roll in and out of joint (that's what it felt like) when I walked occasionally, but no pain. A couple weeks after that, my ankle rolled when I was walking down the stairs. It seemed like a sprian, but nothing major. A couple of days after, I was having extreme pain when walking and my ankle was going in and out, almost like a snapping when I walked.
I went to a podiatrist and he told me it was just a sprain, and did x-rays which were fine. I told him about it snapping in and out when I walk, but he wasn't too concerned. He told me to wear a boot, and for cost reasons, I asked if I could just wear a brace. He told me that was fine, but the brace did nothing. The snapping or rolling sensation is right below the outside of my ankle.
So, it's now a month since I saw the doctor and the pain is pretty intense. It still snaps when I walk and the swelling only subsides when resting. Within the last week, when I walk, I'll have a sharp shooting pain in my ankle. I don't want to prolong treatment, but if it's just a sprain, I don't want to waste money on another doctor visit.  Any ideas if this is more than a sprain?

Answer
Hi Rae,

Your ankle injury may have resulted in soft tissue damage but not bone damage.  So an x-ray would be negative.  The slipping sensation of the joint may be due to dislocated tendons or injured ligaments.  The best way to identify the problem is an MRI.  Treatment will need to be more aggressive since it has already been 8 weeks.  The treatment will be based on exam and MRI findings.  You may want to seek another opinion.

Good Luck.

Sincerely,

Marc Katz, DPM
Tampa, FL
Advanced Podiatry
http://www.thetampapodiatrist.com
http://www.tampacryosurgery.com
http://katzpodiatristtampa.blogspot.com
http://painfoot.blogspot.com
http://twitter.com/TampaPodiatrist
http://www.facebook.com/markatz?ref=name#/profile.php?id=100000260088035&ref=nam...

DISCLAIMER:
This information is offered as free advice and as general information. It may not be applicable to the specific questioner and his/her problem.  It is not based on actual knowledge of the questioner or his/her medical history and it cannot and should not be relied upon as definitive medical opinion or advice.  Reliable medical opinion and advice can only be obtained through hands-on physical contact and exam of the patient to establish an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan.  No doctor/patient relationship is created or established here and may not be inferred through answers on this site.  The questioner and other readers must consult his/her own doctor before proceeding or implementing any suggestions contained within this document and answers on this site.  The questioner is only to act upon his/her own doctor抯 orders and recommendations. By reading this posting which follows, the reader fully understands and confirms that he/she holds harmless this writer. If this is not fully agreeable to you, the reader, and/or you have not attained the age of 18 years, you hereby are advised to read no further.