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?

[AveAtqueVale]

@FantaIsFine I think if you can weight-bear/be mobile you're supposed to but not excessively. So eg with mine I'm wiggling it round every half hour or so and going for little limps around the house periodically, but stopping after a minute or so when it's too painful/ feels like it's going to collapse again. And keeping it up while not moving as otherwise it swells up even more. But some injuries they seem to immobilise and I'm not sure why 🤷🏻‍♀️. I haven't had an orthopaedics job yet so the finer points are a bit of a mystery still! Hope your appointment goes well tomorrow.

Thanks everyone for the moral support. @averysuitablegirl was right it wasn't so much looking for medical advice as general 'how to be a decent employee' advice, as I feel like I'm failing in that area at the moment!

Occupational health is a good idea - I'll try to speak to them tomorrow.

[sueelleker]

@AveAtqueVale I had that as well-I think it was the ligament.

[FantaIsFine]

Hi, I hope you are okay OP, I'm interested as to opinion though as I broke my leg/question mark ligament damage a couple of weeks ago. Guidance seems to be bear weight on it and keep movement going if you can (the weight bearing yes, movement/knee bending less comfortable. It was fibula). I have an orthopaedic appointment tomorrow morning. Any thoughts?

[Tonz]

I wouldn't be going to work on that ankle. No chance.. You could damage it worse and then need to take longer off later

[JaniceWebster]

I was going to reply, but come on, you are a doctor!

You know you must stay off that leg and keep it elevated. And iced. It will take months to heal otherwise. Fair enough to want to go to work, but only if you seat down. WIth your leg up.

[averysuitablegirl]

Op wasn't looking for medical advice really, she felt bad about phoning in sick and wanted some moral support.

It's horrible when everything happens at once, but you're not saying that you can't work, you're asking for a different job for a bit to take account of your injury.

[letmethinkaboutitfornow]

OP, I would go in.
It looks awful, but all you need is ICE, elevation and minimal movements (I am extremely puzzled why a junior doctor turns to MN for medical advice...😳😳😳🤔🤔🤔)

You can do clerical work with that. Especially with your medical back record...
Good luck

[AveAtqueVale]

@1DoesNotSimplyWalkIntoMordor no it's just round the side, none on the base. Although weirdly it's now also up the back of my calf .

I did call in sick, but I feel absolutely cruddy about it. So far this year I have been off more than I've been at work, literally. Had glandular fever, finally got a bit better and was about to go back on a phased return when I got Covid which absolutely wiped me as I still wasn't 100%, so was properly ill for nearly 6 more weeks. So nearly 3 months total off for those two things. Then we had to self-isolate for two weeks when DS2 had something that definitely wasn't coronavirus but could have been. And then again when DH actually had it. And now this. I'm so sick of starting emails with 'I'm very sorry, but...'

I didn't even acquire this in a dramatic and exciting way - I was walking across the kitchen .

[1DoesNotSimplyWalkIntoMordor]

Do you have any bruising on the sole of your foot?

That looks like my foot did when I had Lisfranc Fractures

[MagnoliaJustice]

Phone Occupational Health, and tell them. With that kind of injury, your line manager needs to do a risk assessment to ensure your safety, and that of the patients in your care. If they can't organise a short-term role where you sit down, they you shouldn't be at work. Don't rock up to work because they are short-staffed and you feel you guilty and that you should be there. That's a nasty sprain and it takes time to recover - as I'm sure you know.

[Wolfiefan]

I have wrecked my ankle by carrying on regardless with a “sprain”. It was actually broken then the ligaments got wrecked too. Over 15 years later? It hurts everyday.
Stay home.

[Castlecould]

Definitely phone in sick. I tore my ankle ligaments nearly 2 weeks ago (looked similar to yours) and doctors have advised me it will be 4-6 weeks before I can go back to my job in retail. I’m fine walking about the house but can only manage to the end of the road nearly 2 weeks later. It’s frustrating and worrying I know, but you need time to let it heal.

[sueelleker]

@AveAtqueVale I sprained mine and had it x-rayed. 3 days later they rang me to come in and have a cast put on. They'd reviewed the x ray and found a fracture. Even if it's only a sprain, that needs resting. Arnica gel is very good at bringing bruising and swelling down.

[iwilltaketwoplease]

Ouch I'd call in sick because that looks like it needs elevating.

[PhilTheGroundhog]

I read the title and was about to come on saying not to be ridiculous but you can't go with your ankle looking like that!

Having said that, I fell and twisted my ankle about a year and a half ago. I carried on as normal as it was just before Christmas so I was busy and it still plays me up now.

Hope you feel better soon - that looks painful!

[Haenow]

Definitely go off sick, even more so in your job.
FWIW, I’ve broken an ankle and also “sprained” my ankle. The break was far easier to deal with and it recovered fully. The sprain was actually torn ligaments and it never healed properly because I was a muppet and didn’t rest, feeling I was silly over a sprained ankle. Moral of the story - take care of yourself.

[Mother40]

I sprained my.ankle badly 7 weeks ago. I couldn't go to the doctors due to lockdown but rested it at home he there was no way I would have been able to go to work. I stayed in for 2 weeks.

[CaffiSaliMali]

I have ehlers danlos which particularly affects my ankles so I get a lot of sprains, including a nasty one after a flight which prompted a DVT investigation.

I've never had a sprain which looked like that, never had bruising (and thanks to the EDS I bruise like a peach). It looks really nasty and I would be calling in sick with that for my desk based job, let alone an on my feet a lot job!

I would be inclined to see a doctor for a second opinion too.

[HavelockVetinari]

You could pinch a set of crutches for the day? If not then no, you ought not to be walking on that.

Call your reg, explain that you can't walk on it and the options are either a shift you can sit down, or you can't come in at all.

[Daffodil21]

I had a broken hand once - nothing was picked up on the x-rays but it was on the CT scan. You'll know better than me but I imagine there are lots of hidden little bones in feet as well that won't necessarily get picked up on an X-ray? - hope it gets better soon!

[GoodUserName]

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 will be their social conditioning.

[NameChange84]

I hope you make a swift recovery.

Please don’t go in. Your reaction times would be slower and you’d be putting patients at risk in an emergency.

[waddlemyway]

I had an ankle that looked like that at the end of April and it still hurts a bit and is still rather swollen. And I’ve been WFH!!! Don’t go to work. Go back and get it seen to again, get a doctor’s note and don’t go for a few days or longer if possible. They will have to scramble today but hopefully they can find somebody for the other shifts. A stitch in time will save (both you and your employer) nine.
Get well soon. I ended up with zinc bandages to support the ankle and reduce the swelling, you can get them in a pharmacy should the doc not give you something more. But do go and get it checked out again, looks nasty.

[GoodUserName]

I've already asked to swap to a different shift with more chance of sitting and been refused.

Sod them then! Off sick you go.

[negomi90]

Occy health, if you can't walk properly you can't respond to emergencies quickly.