I sprained my ankle almost a year ago never went to a doctor. if i dont wear my brace it tries to collapse or hurts to walk. any reason to this?

And sprain: You need X-ray and orthopedic exam. You may have fracture, ligament or tendon injury, loose body, etc. you may also have chronic weakness secondary to chronic brace wear.

See a Physician: If self guided conservative treatment has failed to produce improvement in symptoms it is time to seek the assistance of a Podiatric Surgeon who can accurately diagnose the problem, rule out any other possible underlying sources of the pain, and guide the next phase of treatment whether it be a more aggressive conservative plan or surgical intervention.