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Original poster

Would you go to a&e if you thought you had sprained your ankle?

213 replies

Awarethebear · 02/03/2022 13:51

Hi, I ended up twisting my ankle whilst stepping off of a large step and onto unbeknownst to me slippy mud on the school run yesterday afternoon, it hurt straightaway but I was able to walk the twenty minute journey after ( in pain and with a limp). When I arrived home I noticed my ankle was swollen and after a couple of hours the bruising began. It's really painful to walk on almost 24 hours later, I'm wondering is it just sprained or could it be broken. Would you go to the hospital if this was you?

OP posts:
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5
RedWingBoots · 03/03/2022 16:48

@Aikatarina

A&E is for life threatening conditions, so go to a minor injuries unit if there’s one near you (there normally is). You’ll get seen much quicker
You are aware that A&Es are graded in parts of the country?

So if I had a heart attack, while I live within a mile of an A&E, it wouldn't be the centre an ambulance would take me to.

Obviously if I turned up to it having a heart attack they would treat me but then they would transfer me to the major incident A&E for cardiovascular incidents.

My local A&E is actually for things like suspected broken bones as there is no minor injuries unit to serve the local population.

RedWingBoots · 03/03/2022 16:50

@washingmachines4

GP, not A&E!
Last time I turned up with a GP with a bad sprain to get a letter, she told me to go to A&E to get my ankle x-rayed!
StationaryMagpie · 03/03/2022 16:54

i have sprained my ankle so often i now have arthritis in the joint.

I get it x-rayed EVERY time, because you never know, and the hospital nurses/x-ray techs have always agreed with me its the right thing to do.

Dinoteeth · 03/03/2022 16:57

@Aikatarina

A&E is for life threatening conditions, so go to a minor injuries unit if there’s one near you (there normally is). You’ll get seen much quicker
WTF, engage brain, not every accident is life threatening but nor can they all be dealt with elsewhere.

Like many people I struggle to get GP appointments, so called NHS 24 about an injury. I knew it was bad bruising under a nail causing issue.
Couldn't get GP so took nurse appointment, oh thats beyond me I'll get a Doc, oh I can't deal with that we don't have the tools and it needs x-ray. And sent me to A&E.

Seriously two peoples time wasted because I went to the wrong place.

Anonymous48 · 03/03/2022 17:02

I would never go to A&E with a sprained ankle. I would, if it didn't seem to be getting better after rest and ice, go to an Urgent Care Center to get it checked out and maybe get an X-ray.

Do you have anything like an urgent care in the UK? It's somewhere between A&E and a GP. Somewhere you can go without an appointment.

StationaryMagpie · 03/03/2022 17:09

Are people missing what a sprain actually is btw?

The reason the bruising/swelling is so severe, is you've actually stretched or even torn the ligaments that support the movement of the ankle.

Healing from a severe sprain can take longer than healing a break, and it can leave you with permanent injury (like my now having arthritis from having done it so often, and needed to wear a support or boots because its forever weakened)

If the ligament tearing is severe, then a boot, or surgery and physio can be needed.

Gherkingreen · 03/03/2022 17:09

I went to A&E after slipping at the gym during a class and it felt and looked like I'd broken my ankle. Sprains like this can be really severe and serious, and a break should be ruled out.
In hindsight I wish I'd broken it as there was nothing they could do for a severe sprain that happened just before lockdown and I had to manage my own recovery. The ankle still isn't completely right, two years on.

GhoulWithADragonTattoo · 03/03/2022 17:10

Go to A&E if no minor injuries. Our minor injuries will X-ray on weekdays but not the weekend so still have to go to A&E.

Gherkingreen · 03/03/2022 17:25

This is what my manky ankle looked like a few days after I sprained it at the gym. Cankle city Sad

Would you go to a&e if you thought you had sprained your ankle?
Would you go to a&e if you thought you had sprained your ankle?
worriedatthemoment · 03/03/2022 17:42

@Anonymous48 we sometimes have minor injury units but not allways
But our a & e are for broken bones and stitches and stuff as well in uk not just life threatening
You will just wait a while and they have a non emergency part as such , and you go to a &e if no Minor injury unit nearby or if they don't have an xray there which is sometimes the case

worriedatthemoment · 03/03/2022 17:43

@washingmachines4 how is the gp going to know if its broken though ? Is he superman

Blondeshavemorefun · 03/03/2022 17:54

Yes and I did the same last week and spent the morning at a&e

Lots of x rays - bad sprain

Doc gave me strong antiflams

fishonabicycle · 03/03/2022 19:15

A&E can deal with breaks! My son fractured his wrist last year and they x-rayed him and arranged his plastering.

Dinoteeth · 03/03/2022 19:24

@Gherkingreen that is mighty impressive, I would have gone to A&E with that, are you sure nothing was broken

Anonymous48 · 03/03/2022 20:07

[quote worriedatthemoment]@Anonymous48 we sometimes have minor injury units but not allways
But our a & e are for broken bones and stitches and stuff as well in uk not just life threatening
You will just wait a while and they have a non emergency part as such , and you go to a &e if no Minor injury unit nearby or if they don't have an xray there which is sometimes the case [/quote]
Thank you for the explanation. Smile

Gherkingreen · 03/03/2022 20:13

@Dinoteeth I had an x-ray on the evening I did it, about 5 hours afterwards, and it didn't show a break. It was horrible to be honest, very painful and unable to bear weight for weeks, on crutches for a long time.
It was about 2 weeks before lockdown so I was lucky in that I could work from home but flip side was I wasn't able/didn't feel able to seek medical help for it at the time.
It still niggles every now and again bit I'm back to home workouts and I can walk/run so not all bad.
Won't ever go back to that gym tho, the floor used to get really slippery with condensation during classes and I think that's what caused me to slip and go over hard on my ankle during a combat class Sad

Cryalot2 · 03/03/2022 20:31

Poor you op.
I fell 10 days ago. ( thank goodness no one saw) It was my own fault. Ankle is badly swollen and painful. Knee is swollen and bruised in 2 areas and cut( carpet type burn) .
I got taken to the chemist to buy supports for both.
I have not been to A&E but would have went . But our local hospitals are at breaking point.
The only difference since is I tried going without one of the supports and could barely walk.
I am on a lot of painkillers as it is. Years ago I had a broken arm for almost 6 weeks before I got to hospital.
If you can get to a hospital that doesn't have huge waiting times go.

LakieLady · 03/03/2022 20:35

I'd go to A&E. I spoke to a friend today, her husband "sprained" his ankle a few weeks ago, and hobbled about on it for 2 weeks.

It was broken, and he had to have surgery to sort it out.

Susu49 · 03/03/2022 20:37

Women have a higher biological threshold than men too (fact)

Luredbyapomegranate · 03/03/2022 21:16

[quote TheMagpie]@Luredbyapomegranate
@FinnulaFloss
@ErrolTheDragon

I'm unsure as to why you're all assuming I'd judge others for doing so, I personally can tell the difference due to experiencing both many times each.[/quote]
We don’t, we’re just bemused by the idea you think the OP could tell the difference.

And if you don’t think she can - why post at all?

JustLyra · 03/03/2022 21:23

@Aikatarina

A&E is for life threatening conditions, so go to a minor injuries unit if there’s one near you (there normally is). You’ll get seen much quicker
If only the OP had stated on the first few pages that there is no Minor Injuries near her to save people giving advice she can’t take…
CapMarvel · 03/03/2022 21:40

There is some properly terrible advice in this thread.

Firstly, you CANNOT tell without an x-ray if an injured ankle is sprained or broken. You just can't.

Secondly, not everywhere has minor injury walkin centres, especially ones with x-ray facilities. A&E is often the only option. Don't waste time going to a GP or a pharmacy - they don't have x-rays. They will tell you to go to A&E.

Thirdly, sprains are not "just sprains". They can be as painful or more so than breaks and often require longer periods of rehab and care.

TLDR: If you have injured your ankle severely enough, go to A&E.

Blondeshavemorefun · 03/03/2022 22:27

A&e isn’t just for life threatening stuff

All of the ones waiting in the entrance with me weren’t life threatening

A lot of limps like me

Some had hurt their arms as in make shift sling

Others been in fights

None of us were on deaths door

But it’s where you go when a Doctor can’t help

StationaryMagpie · 04/03/2022 14:14

A&E stands for Accident AND Emergency.... Not 'Dying or Emergency'

Not everywhere has a Minor Injury unit, so only place for x-rays, are A&E.

Telling people not to go for injuries that could potentially be a broken bone or severely torn ligament is bloody stupid, and i wish people would stop it.

TroysMammy · 04/03/2022 19:42

@StationaryMagpie I agree with you. It doesn't stand for anything and everything that some people believe either.

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