Do I need to take him to a and e?

[moanymoaner]

Son got sent home from school yesterday because an older kid badly tackled in football and he couldn't walk.
Took him to minor injuries , nurse sort of glanced at his leg , said torn ligament and sent us off. He's still not able to walk and is generally miserable. There is obvious bruising but it isn't considerably swollen or anything. Do I take him to a and e if he can't walk tomorrow and ask for an X-ray or just continue as he is?? I feel it's U to take him so soon but I don't feel the nurse that saw him really took a lot of notice . (She was lovely but very tired having worked 12 hours with no lunch!)

If he has a torn ligament in his knee Im sure they are supposed to do something about it. At least give him crutches. I would take him back to minor injuries rather than A&E though.

Oh yes he has crutches , but she said not to use them after yesterday , minor injuries closed now till Monday 9am which is why I thought a and e.

Phone 111 for advice rather than going straight to a&e.

Ah yea thank you :)

Hope you managed to get some help for your son op

Ligament injuries can take months to heal. I'm surprised she said only use the crutches one day. I'd go to GP to get clearer advice.

you know that according to mumnet, a&e is only for those where death is imminent.

Yabvu to ask this question on here .

Please don't waste a&e time. A professional has given you a diagnosis, albeit an abrupt one by the sounds. But if she gave him crutches the she's obviously done her job. Give him some painkillers, and let him rest, but try and encourage him to keep it moving, if he keeps it completely immobile he will stiffen up and will be much more sore.
If there is no swelling or bruising that generally a good sign, not worth taking to a&e when someone qith something much more serious could be using that time.

Best of luck

I have had many ligament injuries and was always told total rest 48 hrs then use it gently and take anti inflammatory.

Reason was so they said the ligament could repair but keep its elasticity.
Also use ice until it stops being hot to touch.

I don't think its an e & e trip OP.

Evening all. We havnt been to a and e , I agree it's a huge waste of time even though he can't walk. I rang them and they said they were rammed so we have made the decision to stay home. I'm concerned it's not torn ligaments and more likely a fracture - I mean he was kicked deliberately in the leg but a larger boy at speed. I'm going to give him a couple of days and see how he is then if not better weds /thurs go back to minor injuries and ask for an X-ray!

@fivennotfour I know this now ha!! I will remember for future!

I have little time for MIU's when my DD was sent to one local to us via 111. She was basically told to grow up, stop complaining about pain (she had a horrendous cough and was very unwell) and told to rest.

Two days later when she passed out from pain, we took her to a proper unit and she was diagnosed with whooping cough and fractured ribs. She was off work for nearly 3 months.

I'm sorry but I take a very dim view of nurses who diagnose without x-ray. I'd wait until tomorrow and take him in.

@SpanielEars070 how awful! Your poor DD!! I'm just concerned that she diagnosed torn ligaments having barely looked at him however he's not in agony and has movement in it just can't walk!

Maybe pop to your gp in the morning to get checked over. They may send you for an X-ray if they are not happy with how he is. Don’t hang around until Thursday if your not happy.

You said it wasn't swollen - it's going to be really really unlikely to be a fracture if it isn't swollen. Especially now a few days later.
(Doctor)

Soft tissue injuries can really bloody hurt. I couldn't weight bare at all on my ankle for about 4 days after a torn ligament. A GP can refer for x rays if need be, rather than spend several hours in a+e

@Hiphopopotamous not hugely , there is a little bit . That's reassuring though thank you.

Can he curl his toes up tightly? Or does it hurt too much. I've had plenty of soft tissue injuries but the only time I couldn't clench my fingers was when I broke a bone and apparently that's a dead giveaway if you can't clench your toes or fists.

@thesnapandfartisinfallible yes he can I just checked! He now thinks I'm totally crazy

When DS fractured his arm (very slight greenstick fracture but fracture nonetheless). There was very little swelling. When we got it checked out at first aid they said sprain. This was the Thursday. Friday he was fine (we got a support for it).

By Saturday it was far more painful for him he was starting to cry and the flight back was tortuous. Straight to A&E once landed and a temp cast put on. 10 days later temp cast off and then just a splint support for a week and it was fine

Ligament injuries can hurt a lot more than broken bones.
I'm surprised they didn't xray. They tend to be overcautious.

My ds had zero swelling and was waving his arm all over the shop- was told by someone in urgent care I was wasting everyone’s time.
The looks on their faces when we came out and I heard them mutter ‘well I’ve never known anyone to wave it around and have no swelling and it actually be broken...’

Get an X-ray, without one you really can’t tell what’s going on

He would be in a LOT of pain op. Not only not able to walk but really very sore when sitting or lying down. I would go back tomorrow if he is no better. Ice and elevate, pain relief in the meantime

If you are concerned it may be broken, take him to A&E and get an X-Ray.
You will not be wasting anyones time, it's what it's there for.
Our A&E has a team just for injuries.

I ruptured a ligament in my foot and my foot swelled up straight away and went black and blue I was given a support bandage told to walk on it. I still get pain in my foot now and I did it 7 years ago.