Sprained ankle in first day of holiday

Forget Pompei, but still do Herculaneum. Maybe stroll around Naples instead.

Also, even though I am not a medical professional, I am not sure that a compression bandage is enough - if it's swollen, it's almost definitely at least sprained. Maybe check for an ankle splint in a pharmacy?
And cabs aren't that expensive, so don't hesitate to use them!

Cool I will look into using the taxi service!!

Also consider going to a farmacia (green cross) and they could advise re a boot/splint.

Also, consider going to a hospital or doctor to get it checked out. A sprained ankle may not be a sprain it could easily be a break and traveling with any lower limb injury can be very painful. A walking stick could be a good investment to help you negotiate streets, especially cobble stones. A good otc pain killer would be useful as well. Make sure you organize a wheel chair or assistance when negotiating stations, airports etc. good luck!

All good advice above. I do hope you are on the mend quickly and able to enjoy the rest of trip.

I am a klutz and have sprained ankles on multiple ooccasions in multiple countries. In addition to the above advice, you should know that a doctor once warned me that a sprained ankle is prone to re-injury for about six months. Therefore, job #1 is to be very careful not to twist or roll the ankle again. A walking stick sounds like an excellent idea.

Traversing anything other than smooth pavement is really risky right now. How about a trip to the archaeological museum in Naples, where many of the finest pieces from Pompeii are displayed? Or do what I sometimes do when my feet need a break--get on a bus and ride to the end of the line and back. Naples must have many fascinating areas you can ride through

On my 2019 Rick Steves tour, a fellow tour mate sprained her ankle at the Neuschwanstein Castle and had to be on crutches for the remainder of the trip. She probably could have done more if she had been in a boot, but it's possible one wasn't available.

I agree with some of the other posters above. I've rolled my ankle before and thought it was just sprained. Had swelling and pain through the next morning, called my insurance nurse line, and they advised I come in. Turns out I did break my fifth metatarsal and was in a boot for 6 weeks. If you break something and don't know it, it could heal improperly and cause more problems later.

Take it easy, and I hope are able to enjoy your trip despite this!

You need to get an x-ray and whatever supportive device needed at a hospital. You are wasting your time with home remedies and the splints sold in pharmacies. Personal experience on vacation, twice. When we are in a much saved-for, anticipated, planned, once-in-a-lifetime visit to a certain place, we deny anything and say say it's nothing, when what we really need is to be sure there's no break, get a proper walking device and proper care. I say this from accidents on two different trips where I tried wishing it away.

When I fell in a hole behind an alter in Brittany I refused to go to the hospital, kept saying it was nothing, tried wishing it away but in fact hobbed in pain on borrowed crutches and hopping on one foot. A week later in the US, the doctor x-rayed it. It was broken and he put me in a walking boot. My only compensation for such idiocy was the tech who said "Oh you're strong, one week on a broken foot." I should have listened to my friends who suggested we go to the local hospital to get it checked.

Another poster here, a friend, fell in a perched village ruin in France but kept trying to negotiate to herself that it was okay. A week later, swollen and blue, she ended up with surgery and a hospital stay.

So go get it checked out. Even if it's "just" a sprain, they might put you in a walking boot, which would really help stabilize you and allow you to walk on smooth surfaces--no climbing over rocks. You can get two hiking poles, which will help you to continue on. By the way, a foot sprain I did five years ago, which was immediately x-rayed, is still bothersome today and was a lot more painful than the break in the same foot. Wearing the walking boot for the sprain really helped.

You have to shake your head and wonder what we have done to ourselves in the US. Claim to have the "best healthcare in the world", but when hurt, we ask on the internet as to what to do, because going to seek medical help is not an option (too expensive)

Go seek emergency services. They will do an x-ray, check for other issues, figure out the best splint or wrap for it, prescribe medications if needed, hopefully not tell you it is fractured and need a cast. All of that will likely cost you less than your ticket to Pompeii.

Oh, I'm so sorry to hear this.

I agree with the seek medical advice advice.

If you do still want to try going to Pompeii, you could rent a wheelchair and use the accessible route. You wouldn't see all of it, but it might be better than missing it altogether. https://disabledaccessibletravel.com/accessible-pompeii/

You have to shake your head and wonder what we have done to ourselves
in the US. Claim to have the "best healthcare in the world", but when
hurt, we ask on the internet as to what to do, because going to seek
medical help is not an option (too expensive)

Paul, I've a hunch that the OP is not an American or not originally so, anyway. If I was to guess, I'd say England or elsewhere else in the UK, not that she couldn't be a US resident currently. "On Holiday", "flat", "whilst" and "flannel" are what have me thinking that.

Katie, yes, please see a doctor ASAP so you don't potentially do more damage to that ankle! Let us know how it goes for you?

Right, Kathy, and she's only 24, so if it is a sprain, she'll bounce back faster than my old-lady advice indicates. But she should get it x-rayed and bandaged or put in a boot, no matter. That's a real ouchy. I hope the rest of the vacation is all uphill from here.