To call in sick with a sprained ankle?

[AveAtqueVale]

Sprained ankle on Friday and it's still very bruised and swollen (see pic of grimness) despite plenty of RICE. I'm meant to be working 10-8 today - lots will be on my feet. I think I could probably do it as am able to hobble round the house now, but it's going to be painful, and am concerned it'll set back the healing. I can't drive with it but DH is at home so could take me and pick me up. I've already asked to swap to a different shift with more chance of sitting and been refused. It feels like such a pathetic reason to call in sick, but the thought of having to limp around on it for the best part of ten hours is just miserable...

WIBU just not to go in?

Def stay home with that, I have hyper mobility and turn on my ankles a lot. It’s excruciating and you need to rest it.

Does your place of work have an occupational health if so I’d call in sick today but then contact them to say that you are happy to go in but need reasonable adjustments for a few days . Have you actually had that xrayed / looked at properly ?

Wouldnt you hobbling about at work be a health and safe issue ? Depending on your work ?

Have you had that xray-ed. That does not look like your typical sprain

You've probably made a decision by now, but no you shouldn't be walking on that ankle for hours today.

I agree with Floral about asking for an OH assessment if your place of work has that. They should be able to do this over the phone or online, or you could send them the photo.

Hope that it heals soon.

Def stay home. Also try to wrap it in slices of potato, it helps, I promise.

Have you got it X-rayed yet?

It looks very swollen and sore for just a sprain.

Phone in sick for now.

Call in sick.
Rest, keep it up and compression bandage on it.
You might need a X-ray for breaks or ct scan to check for ligament damage. (Cause that’s more than a light sprain)

Agree with others, have you had it x-rayed? I thought I sprained mine just before Christmas, the next day I woke up and it looked like yours. Went for an x-ray and it was actually broken. If you haven’t already please get it checked out as that really doesn’t look good. Hope you heal quickly!

Send your boss that photo and tell them you are going to a and e to have it xrayed

Another vote for having it x-rayed, it looks incredibly painful.

I had a badly sprained ankle over 30 years ago, and it's never been the same since. A colleague sprained her ankle badly a little while ago, went to A&E and had to wear an Aircast boot for 2 weeks to keep the joint immobile.

Stay at home, it looks completely fucked. You probably could hobble around all day but that doesn't mean you should. You need to give it time to heal.

Yep that defo needs to be x-rayed.
I broke my ankle and leg in 4 places and it wasn't that bruised.

I hope you've stayed at home. That looks nasty.

Ouch! I badly sprained mine a couple of years ago and it was agony (looked similar to yours). Had it x rayed but wasn't broken - just ligament damage. It's still not 100% now. I was given a moon boot and crutches as I just couldn't put any weight on it.

I had a day or two off work as couldn't drive and then worked from home a bit until I could.

I went to A&E on Sunday and it was x-rayed, there are no breaks. Doctor who I saw said just to see how things go about whether to come in today. I'm a junior doc and the shift is in fact clerking in A&E - if I don't go they'll be short staffed.

Is there any chance a break wouldn’t have shown up on Friday because that is a heck of bruise for a sprain.

I was expecting to see something much milder! If today’s shift was the only “standing-up” one for the week then you could go in and just suffer. But it’s not, I assume! I think you should stay off your feet today.

You should exercise a sprained ankle to aid recovery but not that much! If it’s feasible to use crutches/sit for your shift then I suppose you could go but I absolutely wouldn’t go if you would be required to stand on it for extended periods of time or do lots of walking around. I know you don’t want them to be short staffed but if you do yourself further injury then that will cause them more problems.

You absolutely can't be on your feet until it's gone down considerably and doesn't hurt to step on. It isn't a case of muddling through - you will cause more damage, and it can become very serious. If you are concerned about time off you can ask work for adjustments.

Also at the risk of echoing pp minor fractures don’t always show up. You’d know better but are you sure it’s not broken?

The only reason you should be in an A&E today is to get that looked at again .

" It feels like such a pathetic reason to call in sick,"

Really??

Tbh even if you could sit all shift, it would probably be painful by the end of it.

What is it about Brits that they are scared of calling in sick? As an adult you know if you feel well or not. That looks very painful and you should definitely not go in and get it checked out. Hope you feel better soon.