Sprained Ankle

rookie1470

Hi folks,

I fell down the last step of my stairs about 3 weeks ago. I was wearing boots at the time, I went down on the outside of my ankle, after a few days I became black and blue on the leg above the ball of my ankle and a small amount of pooling of blood on my heel. At the moment if I point my toes downwards I still feel a little pain and if I rub the ball of my ankle I get a shooting pain down the bones towards my little toe and the toe beside that!! Is this just a torn ligament or could it be worse???

Rookie

SunnyDub1

Not being smart but would you not go and see a doctor? 3 weeks is a long time!
No one here is gonna be able to tell what is wrong with it without even been able to look at it.

rookie1470

SunnyDub1 wrote: »

Not being smart but would you not go and see a doctor? 3 weeks is a long time!
No one here is gonna be able to tell what is wrong with it without even been able to look at it.

To be honest I can't afford to go to a doctor at the moment and I'm sure I will be sent for an X-ray, adding to the cost!! I'm aware that I'm not going to get a 100% diagnosis here but all I was looking to do was to get an opinion from other people who may have experienced the same problem. Thanks

Dravokivich

If you can walk on it, chances are it's not broken, any sprains just require resting it up and usually take 4-6 weeks.

But as no one here as seen or are in a position to examine the ankle, the only way to know for sure, is by consulting a doctor.

Edit: Also, it wouldn't need to be x-rayed unless it's definately broken. If a doctor isn't sure by looking at it, they just feel around the ankle and watch your reaction.

rookie1470

Dravokivich wrote: »

If you can walk on it, chances are it's not broken, any sprains just require resting it up and usually take 4-6 weeks.

But as no one here as seen or are in a position to examine the ankle, the only way to know for sure, is by consulting a doctor.

Edit: Also, it wouldn't need to be x-rayed unless it's definately broken. If a doctor isn't sure by looking at it, they just feel around the ankle and watch your reaction.

Thanks, I suppose I'm trying to put off going to the doc for the moment. If it takes 4-6 weeks to recover that's grand, I will see how it is after another 3 weeks. I'm jogging and walking ok, but it's the sharp pain running down to my toes that I was more curious about when I rub or touch the ball of my ankle.

wicklaman83

Dravokivich wrote: »

If you can walk on it, chances are it's not broken, any sprains just require resting it up and usually take 4-6 weeks.

But as no one here as seen or are in a position to examine the ankle, the only way to know for sure, is by consulting a doctor.

Edit: Also, it wouldn't need to be x-rayed unless it's definately broken. If a doctor isn't sure by looking at it, they just feel around the ankle and watch your reaction.

Will you get back in to your box. Of course it needs to be xrayed. Its people like you who gets these threads locked

OP there is no way to no if there is any damage without an xray. Your obviously not on the medical card so go to your GP and get a referral letter for an Xray. Make sure its for xray and not a&e. dont go straight to the hospital or you'd have to pay €100.

You could have a hairline fracture.please note also you can also walk on a broken ankle. I see it everyday.

You may only have a sprain but its better to pay and get it looked at rather than years of pain and limping due to the possible damage a untreated break would do

calfmuscle

Op i knew i had a broken fibula but still drove to hospital and walked in. You may have fracture. However even if your bones are intact you might need to be mobilized for ligaments damage.
Short version go to your gp. It will cost 60 they will refer you for xray. There is no additional cost for xray. If you go straight to a and e it will cost 100.

Dravokivich

wicklaman83 wrote: »

Will you get back in to your box. Of course it needs to be xrayed. Its people like you who gets these threads locked

OP there is no way to no if there is any damage without an xray. Your obviously not on the medical card so go to your GP and get a referral letter for an Xray. Make sure its for xray and not a&e. dont go straight to the hospital or you'd have to pay €100.

You could have a hairline fracture.please note also you can also walk on a broken ankle. I see it everyday.

You may only have a sprain but its better to pay and get it looked at rather than years of pain and limping due to the possible damage a untreated break would do

Try re-reading what I said;

If he's able to walk on it, its more likely that it isn't broken, BUT NOONE HERE has seen the ankle or is able to assess, the only way to be sure is to see a doctor.

Also then saying, the doctor will determine whether or not it needs to be xrayed.

Easy does it boy.

Mac-Chops

I might be wrong here, but I don't see any mention of you (OP) actually resting the ankle?

The traditional R.I.C.E approach at least.

Any shooting pain at this stage still could be a strong indicator of more than ligament damage and as people have said, the (relatively) small money now is better than corrective surgery in the (near) future!

wicklaman83

any update on this

arybvtcw0eolkf

Probably a bit late to this now OP, but too many people ignore a sprained ankle and breath a sigh of relief when the pain and discomfort has settled, but often wonder why future sprains happen easier.

Sounds like you have an inversion ankle sprain, but you should have ruled out any boney injury too.

Any kind of ankle injury is potentially serious and needs proper rehab, esp. when tears and lengthening of ligaments happens, thereby adding to future ankle instability.

Recovery times depend on the grade of sprain/tear you have, they're graded I to III (a grade I tear being a lesser).

You really should seek medical advice.

Oryx

I dont know how I missed all the medical advice being handed out here, but better late than never.

Locked.