Sore ankle, with popping after fall

I fell while at a bouldering competition, and landed hard on the heel of my left foot. There was an instant pop and swelling. This was a week ago and the ankle is feeling a little better, but there is a feeling that the ligament behind the bone on the outside of the ankle is popping or sliding. I had an x-ray which found nothing and the nurse said it was the superior peroneal retinaculum, which may have small tears and is laxed which is why it feels as though the ligaments are moving.

Will this heal itself?

Hi,

How are you now? Have you visited a doctor/physiotherapist?

From what you wrote it seems like you may have damaged a ligament of the lateral compartment of your ankle (swelling). It is good that the x-ray was clear. This type of injury may sometimes cause fractures/microfractures to the calcaneus bone that are difficult to spot in standard x-rays plan. The human body is so amazing that it generally it heals itself somehow. However, with specific therapies the healing process is guided in a more specific and functional manner. Therefore, for now I would suggest to rest your ankle and use walking sticks if needed. I think you should visit a physiotherapist that can evaluate better your clinical case and that can help you giude and monitor the heling processes of the tissues damaged with any technique the therapist thinks is better for your case.

Let us know how your doing.

Hi, thanks for getting back to me.

I have been to see a physio and they suggest that I have torn the peroneal tendon, which has meant that I am getting snapping across the bone, as well as a rare tear in a tendon in my calf. Looks like it will be a visit to ortho to see if I need surgery!

Hi,

I hope that the visit to the ortho will give you a definitive diagnosis so that the best solution for you can be adopted. Please do let us know how it ends up.
I wish you the best.