"Doctor, I was running in my Adidas shoes 3 weeks ago, twisted my ankle, and it still swells and hurts. What's wrong?" "My 55 year old mother stepped wrong on the stairs 6 weeks ago, and she still can't put all of her weight on it. I'm concerned." In each of these situations the person twisted their foot or ankle and continue to have problems after "the sprain". Not all ankle sprains are created equal. Why? Sometimes its MORE than a sprain.
Injuries to the foot or ankle can involve the joints, the ligaments which connect them, the tendons (leeders) which pass near or attach to them, muscles, bones, nerves, or blood vessels. Broken veins can cause bleeding under the skin or inside a joint. Cartilage "gristle" inside the ankle can be chipped off. Ligaments can be stretched, strained, ripped, or snapped. Nerves may be irritated. Tendons can split the long way like slicing strands of celery. Small bone areas can be compressed or chipped or broken.
Why does my ankle keep hurting? The key is a thorough examination of the joints and connecting "rods: in that area. Xrays to study for breaks. Possibly a scan such as ultrasound or CT or MRI to see the fine detail of the softer parts that are not bone may be needed. Proper treatment can help that ankle to finally be "on the mend",