I fell playing dodgeball just over a week ago and hurt my ankle and heel. I have been to the hospital and they are not sure if it is fractured but they put me in a cast boot and recommended I get physio to prevent future problems with my heel. My foot movement is very limited and sore to walk on. Should I go back to a doctor or physio? I am a very active person and want to be able to get back to my activites as soon as I can.

Sorry to hear about your ankle. I would highly recommend that you see a physiotherapist. It sounds like you are on the fence with regards to walking/ankle movement, which is very important during the healing stages.  Generally speaking, early weight bearing (ie. walking or standing with support) is crucial for ankle sprains (ie. no fracture) as it helps to manage swelling and speeds up the joint healing process.

Those walking boots are excellent for compression, however the goal is to get you out of it as soon as possible so that all of the core muscles of the foot and the ankle joint itself become functional as soon as possible. A Physiotherapist can help you manage these timelines and will provide guidance with regards to this.

There are also knee/hip exercises that I would recommend starting in the meantime so that when the ankle is good to go, there are no other muscle compensations/asymmetries that can increase that chances of re-injury. Hope this helps!

Fraser Perry
Physiotherapist
Treloar Physiotherapy Clinic – Broadway/Cambie location