How to tell a sprain from a fracture?

[Soubriquet]

Dd twisted her ankle doing hopscotch today

Got it iced at school, went to do PE, struggled and got it iced again.

She’s now at home resting with another ice pack but it doesn’t look pleasant

She can walk on it but it hurts to do so. There’s no bruising (yet) but there is this lovely lump.

I want to take her for an x-ray. Dh is saying it’s just a sprain and she will probably need tomorrow off school instead

Quick update

It is badly sprained. She’s been off school today and will probably be off again tomorrow to give it a chance to rest.

The swelling has gone down but there is still some there. No bruising. She’s still limping a bit but happier to put a bit more weight on it than she was

She’s refusing painkillers so it can’t be hurting that bad now.

Glad it’s only a sprain. Is she icing it?

Hopefully she was advised to keep the joint mobile with gentle exercise. It will take a while to heal and become sore if she overdoes it,

It could be a sprain but that doesn't mean it doesn't need treatment. My DC has sprained her wrist and both ankles so badly they needed casts (at separate times obvs)

www.mdcalc.com/ottawa-ankle-rule

Agree x Ray, and if bad sprain will need physio anyway

Glad it's not broken.