Swollen ligaments and pulled muscles can hurt really badly, and for a long time, especially if you are aggravating it by continuing normal routines. If you had an MRI, you are probably ok as far as your bones are concerned. If it was broken it would have shown up. Maybe a hairline fracture didn't show up or wasn't noticed.

But the main thing here is to stay off that leg as much as possible. The ligaments are probably what are causing most of the pain. You should alternate hot and cold compresses to speed the healing. Soaking it in very cold water to get the swelling to go down too is ideal.

I would give it a good 6 weeks at least to feel better. Taking some ibuprofen will help with the inflammation and take away some of the pain.

Four weeks ago I got ankle surgery done to repair ligaments and a fractured bone. My name is Cassie and I have been posting about my Chronic Sprained Ankle for a while to get some adivise. It really helped because I went to different doctors but they couldn't find anything, then I was referred to Orthopedics and I got a different x-ray view, a stand-up view instead of laying down on the x-ray table. It was then that there was a fracture on the right part of my right ankle. When he went over rmy MRi, he saw that some of ligaments had to be repaired and some of them has to be tighten. So then I had the surgery and had a cast on for 2 weeks and then he put me in a boot. It is still sore from the surgery, but that will go as time goes on. I wanted to keep you updated.
Cassie