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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think that this is just a sprain?

104 replies

user0512 · 13/05/2022 14:46

I fell down a step or two at work and fell on my foot. My colleagues say I should get it checked and so does my family.

However, I think it's just a sprain from the trauma of falling on it and that I don't need to go to hospital.

Anyone had anything similar?

It has swollen a bit more than when it first happened and it does hurt to walk on it, but I'm not crying or anything

OP posts:
Thread gallery
8
Topseyt123 · 14/05/2022 03:19

Of course it wasn't a waste of time. You needed the boot and crutches, and those will help a lot.

IamtheDevilsAvocado · 14/05/2022 03:24

user0512 · 13/05/2022 14:52

Did it look like this?

Mine looked less painful/swollen than this.

It was broken.

You're mad not to get it x-rayed.! 😁

Think the opposite /counter narrative... In 6 months time... I didn't get it xrayed... Turned out badly broken and has fused badly... So I now need operations and plating.

Sirius3030 · 14/05/2022 04:41

A sprain is not trivial, but you can treat it yourself. A break is of course more serious and requires professional treatment. But let me tell you, doctors love to see patients with real ailments that they can fix. That is what they trained for. They genuinely will be pleased to see you, inspect and treat as required.

toomuchlaundry · 14/05/2022 07:20

If they have given you crutches and a boot why was it a waste of time?

1DoesNotSimplyWalkIntoMordor · 14/05/2022 07:46

Gherkingreen · 13/05/2022 23:29

@1DoesNotSimplyWalkIntoMordor yes the whole foot was swollen and bruised, top and bottom Unfortunately due to it happening a week before the first lockdown in 2020, I didn't feel I could go back to A&E and physios were shut.
I did see my GP literally the day before lockdown, who said to rest it as x-ray came back showing no break.
In hindsight, it was worse than I thought, but bad sprains are a bit of a bugger. I couldn't walk unaided for a couple of months, just really bad timing!
I did mine during a combat class at the gym, the studio floor was slippery as the ventilation was a bit rubbish. Haven't been back since, still holding a massive grudge 😤

Bruising on the sole of the foot underneath the arch is a bit of a giveaway for a Lisfranc Injury/Fracture, 20% of Lisfranc Fractures are misdiagnosed because standard xrays do not always pick up non displaced fractures or where fractures are on the underside of the Metatarsals and/or cuneiforms and also where the displacement between the 1st and 2nd TMT joints is minimal, I had all of the above and ruptured ligaments picked up by a CT scan 6 weeks after the initial (mis)diagnosis

Original poster
user0512 · 14/05/2022 15:10

Thanks everyone.

Still in a lot of pain. Did any of you take some time off of work when this happened? I work in an office but I'm on my feet quite a bit as well. I was thinking it would be better to WFH as my foot really hurts when I walk. Is this acceptable? What if my work refuses?

OP posts:
milkyaqua · 14/05/2022 15:13

Send them that photo you put on here! That's a serious injury. Some people think a slight turn of their ankle, leaving no swelling, is a 'sprain'. So you may need to spell out that you're on crutches and in a boot, and have been seen to in hospital for a suspected fracture etc.

sparepantsandtoothbrush · 14/05/2022 15:18

You'll need to elevate it as much as possible so I'd like to think they'd let you work from home if that's a possibility

Original poster
user0512 · 14/05/2022 15:23

Well it did happen at work so hopefully they know I'm not just putting it on. I'm just worried as I'm still on my probation. But I guess I won't know until I ask

OP posts:
NerdyBird · 14/05/2022 17:20

I fell on my stairs the other week and broke my toe. Thought I'd sprained it but went to get it checked as there was a lot of bruising. Turned out my big toe is broken, so I have a boot and crutch even for that. I've worked at home as it really does help if I can keep my foot up and it's easier to do at home than the office.

alfagirl73 · 14/05/2022 17:37

OP I'm glad you got it seen. I do get frustrated though when people say "just a sprain" - nothing "just" about it. I've had severely sprained ankles and they can take just as long - if not longer - than a break, to recover from. Torn ligaments are extremely painful and in my experience are prone to re-injury. I've had time on crutches, then with a stick, had to have physio etc to rebuild the strength. I do hope your ankle gets better soon - but please do not underestimate/minimise it - and you certainly haven't wasted A&E's time. I've seen injuries like this turn into all kinds of problems so you did the right thing.

CapMarvel · 14/05/2022 18:30

People need to stop saying/thinking "it's just a sprain".

You cannot tell without an xray and sprains are often more painful plus take longer to heal than breaks and improperly managed can lead to long term mobility issues.

CapMarvel · 14/05/2022 18:30

user0512 · 14/05/2022 15:10

Thanks everyone.

Still in a lot of pain. Did any of you take some time off of work when this happened? I work in an office but I'm on my feet quite a bit as well. I was thinking it would be better to WFH as my foot really hurts when I walk. Is this acceptable? What if my work refuses?

Just get in touch with HR. Any decent company will do their absolute best to make you comfortable.

Neverreturntoathread · 14/05/2022 18:41

Yes. You’re being an idiot. If you get a check up ans it is just a sprain then you wasted a few hours at A&E. If you ignore it and it is broken AND IS HEALING WRONG you could have problems with that foot for the rest of your life that could have been avoided by it being set properly.

Stop mucking about and get a x-ray. Find out if there is a Minor Injuries department near you as the queue for x-rays there probably will be shorter than a big hospital (and phone first to check thst they can do x rays).

Aworldofmyown · 14/05/2022 18:43

My Mum 'walked' into A&E with a broken leg!

CornishPorsche · 14/05/2022 18:50

@user0512 make sure it's in the accident book at work - it has to has to has to be recorded properly, and may require an internal H&S investigation, depending on how it happened - ie are the steps safe to use, are they damaged and in need of repairs or recovering etc.

MerchSwyddEfrog · 14/05/2022 19:10

I sprained my ankle 3 weeks ago and it was very swollen and very painful to walk on. My friend gave me crutches. It was swollen around the ankle and along the foot. I went to a&e and they xrayed it and said no break. I was told to rest for 2 days then walk on it after that. No other info. I have only just started to be able to walk on it over any distance in the last few days.
The photo below is after a week. I do wonder if something has been missed as I have had bruising under the foot too. I don’t bruise easily too.

AIBU to think that this is just a sprain?
MerchSwyddEfrog · 14/05/2022 19:13

Good luck op and hope you recover quickly.

Original poster
user0512 · 16/05/2022 11:47

Hi all,

Just a quick question. Is it normal for the foot to go blue during the healing process? My foot is going blue (just that area was blue previously)

Thanks,

OP posts:
CornishPorsche · 16/05/2022 12:16

Sounds like the bruising was deep and is now coming to the surface.

Was it recorded in the works accident book?

DuckZilla · 16/05/2022 12:21

We had similar this weekend. My daughter came off her bike and this was the result. She had an x-ray and luckily it is just a sprain but she’s still in a lot of pain. Hers is also turning lots of shades of blue.
Wishing you better OP

AIBU to think that this is just a sprain?
Original poster
user0512 · 16/05/2022 12:29

CornishPorsche · 16/05/2022 12:16

Sounds like the bruising was deep and is now coming to the surface.

Was it recorded in the works accident book?

Yes it was.

Oh right, okay. I wonder how long until it'll completely heal

OP posts:
Original poster
user0512 · 16/05/2022 12:29

DuckZilla · 16/05/2022 12:21

We had similar this weekend. My daughter came off her bike and this was the result. She had an x-ray and luckily it is just a sprain but she’s still in a lot of pain. Hers is also turning lots of shades of blue.
Wishing you better OP

Oh dear. That looks really painful (looks worse than mine did!)

Hopefully she has a speedy recovery. What treatment/aid was she given?

OP posts:
CornishPorsche · 16/05/2022 12:48

Well, I badly sprained my ankle for the first time in 2014, failed to get any treatment for it until weeks later and I now have a wholly unstable ankle, go over on it frequently - even in boots - and it's painful at night when lying down..... So basically, do it properly!

A bad sprain usually takes longer to heal than a broken bone, so expect a good few weeks of this.

This was my most recent sprain - I was on crutches for three weeks.

AIBU to think that this is just a sprain?
DuckZilla · 16/05/2022 12:52

user0512 · 16/05/2022 12:29

Oh dear. That looks really painful (looks worse than mine did!)

Hopefully she has a speedy recovery. What treatment/aid was she given?

Show quote history

Nothing much really beyond staying off it, keeping it elevated and putting an ice pack on it. She’s off school today as she can’t walk there or cope with the many flights of stairs. I hope she feels better soon as I can’t keep her off for too long

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