To ask how do you know if you've broken a bone?

Sxr · 2022-07-05T16:45:48+00:00

Just fell over. To the side and rolled my ankle. It hurts and felt a crunch! Should I leave it tonight and see how it is in the morning ? When I broke my wrist I didn't go to A&E until the following day? Anyway of telling between a sprain and break - without an xray ?

LT2 · 05/07/2022 17:47

My ankle swelled up in a big lump. I didn't think I'd broken it until that happened!

Toddlerteaplease · 05/07/2022 17:53

If you heard a crunch it may well be broken or cracked. X ray for you.

007DoubleOSeven · 05/07/2022 17:53

It isn't always clear when something is broken and sprains can often be more painful, but a crunch is definitely a warning sign!

Can you move your wrist?
How's the blood supply to your hand and fingers?
Swelling?
Crepitus? (Crackling, crunching, popping noises when moving it)

If in doubt an xray won't do you any harm and if there's any indication of a compromised blood supply you shouldn't wait to get it looked at.

Original poster

Sxr · 05/07/2022 17:54

LT2 · 05/07/2022 17:47

My ankle swelled up in a big lump. I didn't think I'd broken it until that happened!

Interesting. Do they do anything for broken ankles these days ? When I broken my wrist they didn't put it in plaster and said they don't normally do that these days!

OP posts:

Original poster

Sxr · 05/07/2022 17:55

Actually, it's my foot rather than my ankle.

OP posts:

EgonSpengler2020 · 05/07/2022 17:55

(paramedic) Personally, if it was me I would take paracetamol and ibuprofen, ice and elevate it over night and then see if I could weight bare in the morning, then if I couldn't I'd go to the minor injuries unit, that it twice the distance away than the nearest A&E, in the morning.

I certainly wouldn't be spending tonight in A&E with an ankle injury that wasn't definitely broken.

Obviously if your foots on back to front then dial 999 (I have seen this, or make accurately heard it through the doors of resus when they manipulated it back into 'normal anatomical alignment', the scream was like something out of a comedy, crescendo then quieting until he ran out of breath then quick breath and hitting the high notes again!!).

MatildaTheCat · 05/07/2022 17:57

Get it checked. DS sprained his ankle and was sent home to ice etc. After multiple re-sprains and more than a decade of aggravation and pain he was finally diagnosed with a ruptured ligament which was finally repaired surgically and took best part of a year to fully rehab.

If it is called a sprain and doesn’t heal quickly insist on more investigation, not just endless physio referrals.

NocturnalMe · 05/07/2022 18:00

EgonSpengler2020 · 05/07/2022 17:55

(paramedic) Personally, if it was me I would take paracetamol and ibuprofen, ice and elevate it over night and then see if I could weight bare in the morning, then if I couldn't I'd go to the minor injuries unit, that it twice the distance away than the nearest A&E, in the morning.

I certainly wouldn't be spending tonight in A&E with an ankle injury that wasn't definitely broken.

Obviously if your foots on back to front then dial 999 (I have seen this, or make accurately heard it through the doors of resus when they manipulated it back into 'normal anatomical alignment', the scream was like something out of a comedy, crescendo then quieting until he ran out of breath then quick breath and hitting the high notes again!!).

Im a radiographer and I agree with this. Rest, elevate & ice. Go to minor injuries or a&e in the morning. You may have sprained it which can actually present worse than a fracture sometimes.

Original poster

Sxr · 05/07/2022 18:03

EgonSpengler2020 · 05/07/2022 17:55

(paramedic) Personally, if it was me I would take paracetamol and ibuprofen, ice and elevate it over night and then see if I could weight bare in the morning, then if I couldn't I'd go to the minor injuries unit, that it twice the distance away than the nearest A&E, in the morning.

I certainly wouldn't be spending tonight in A&E with an ankle injury that wasn't definitely broken.

Obviously if your foots on back to front then dial 999 (I have seen this, or make accurately heard it through the doors of resus when they manipulated it back into 'normal anatomical alignment', the scream was like something out of a comedy, crescendo then quieting until he ran out of breath then quick breath and hitting the high notes again!!).

Yes, this is what I was thinking. With my wrist I went at 8am and was seen within the hour.

It's already very swollen with lots of veins trying to get to the area.

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LittlestBaoBun · 05/07/2022 18:22

You've described what happened when I cracked my fifth metatarsal.

Although I didn't ice it, a friend happened to ring and I described it and they told me to go to hospital. I was home alone in the new place and new housemates weren't home and I was broke (as in zero pennies) and didn't even know where the nearest hospital was (no internet for that).

Friend rang at bedtime then again first thing in the morning and I couldn't walk on it. Couldn't even get to the front path which was embarrassing. No swelling, but a sort of concentrates turquoise bruise dot thing.

Literally noone who could pick me up either. Friend called me an ambulance which was even more embarrassing but got me seen.

Over six months later it was operated on because it didn't heal properly because I'm a dipshit (got from hospital to my bar person job just in time but on crutches and was sacked, because London, and staff are easy to get) and walked on it too soon because I needed to make rent.

This is a long version of: as above, ice and elevate, and possibly go for an x-ray tomorrow. But FGS if it is broken, even just a crack, do as your told so you don't end up with a pin in it 🤣

Original poster

Sxr · 06/07/2022 05:48

Ended up going to hospital last night as the pain was so bad. I've fractured my fifth metatarsal bone - twice. Never had co-codamol before, its good stuff!

@LittlestBaoBun you were right !

I'm off to sleep.. was an 11 hour wait.

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BalloonsAndWhistles · 06/07/2022 06:48

When I broke my little finger, it was pointing outwards and wouldn’t move unless I moved it. I also had swelling and bad bruising which didn’t go down for weeks. I tell you, doing an admin job when your dominant hand is in a cast isn’t very fun 😆

Darbs76 · 06/07/2022 06:59

My daughter has broken 2 bones, elbow and wrist. They both looked obviously broken, a bit deformed

Whatafustercluck · 06/07/2022 07:01

Pleased you got it sorted op and sorry you've got a fracture.

I broke my fibula just above the ankle 3 years ago. Knew pretty much immediately it was broken as I heard the crack as I rolled the ankle on our stairs battling with my then 2yo who was having a tantrum at the top of the stairs. I've never felt pain like it and I went faint, dizzy and cold and clammy which I gather can happen due to shock when you break something.

If you're unable to move it at all or bear any weight, just keep an eye out for DVT. I was otherwise fit and healthy, received blood thinners to reduce the risk of a DVT bit still ended up with one. That complicated the recovery as it meant the bone wasn't getting the blood supply it needed to recover quickly. They would have pinned my ankle if I hadn't got a dvt. Thankfully it healed in the end and in the right place despite not having an op.

YanTanTetheraPetheraPimp · 06/07/2022 07:03

EgonSpengler2020 · 05/07/2022 17:55

(paramedic) Personally, if it was me I would take paracetamol and ibuprofen, ice and elevate it over night and then see if I could weight bare in the morning, then if I couldn't I'd go to the minor injuries unit, that it twice the distance away than the nearest A&E, in the morning.

I certainly wouldn't be spending tonight in A&E with an ankle injury that wasn't definitely broken.

Obviously if your foots on back to front then dial 999 (I have seen this, or make accurately heard it through the doors of resus when they manipulated it back into 'normal anatomical alignment', the scream was like something out of a comedy, crescendo then quieting until he ran out of breath then quick breath and hitting the high notes again!!).

Been there and done that- seeing your foot, with the shoes still on, like that and having it manipulated is definitely the most excruciating pain possible despite sedation 🤢😱

NatM15588 · 06/07/2022 08:51

I broke my ankle last year. I slipped on ice and my ankle went to the side and heard a crunch. It was swollen and bruised with 30mins even with ice on it so I went to hospital and it was x rayed and confirmed broke. i was put in a plastic shoe boot and had it on for 10 weeks. Its safe to say I now hate snow and ice!

Ahgoonyegirlye · 06/07/2022 09:38

‘I'm off to sleep.. was an 11 hour wait.’

thats what’s happens if you go to the Emergency room for a fractured bone in your foot. Triage means that all those people having strokes and heart attacks will be see first…

Original poster

Sxr · 06/07/2022 11:21

Ahgoonyegirlye · 06/07/2022 09:38

‘I'm off to sleep.. was an 11 hour wait.’

thats what’s happens if you go to the Emergency room for a fractured bone in your foot. Triage means that all those people having strokes and heart attacks will be see first…

No shit !

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Passthebubbly · 06/07/2022 11:34

Just a tip with the co codomol take some laxatives too as they really bung you up

Original poster

Sxr · 06/07/2022 11:48

Passthebubbly · 06/07/2022 11:34

Just a tip with the co codomol take some laxatives too as they really bung you up

Thanks for the tip !

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tellmewhentheLangshiplandscoz · 06/07/2022 11:52

Hi OP how is it this morning?

I recently stumbled and rolled my foot ankles to the side. Swelled up immediately but the following am (still swollen) I could weight bear. Walking fine. Never really experienced pain with it but couldn't stand on side of my foot IYSWIM?

Long story short situation remained thus with a constant swelling but to varying degrees dependant on how much I'd been on my feet. After getting sick of my DM nagging I saw GP, got it x rated and turned out it's an avulsion fracture which I'm having physio for and may even be back to running in 12 weeks.

Physio keeps harping on about my pain threshold but I swear I've obviously been v lucky because after the first 24 hours, other than an occasional shooting pain which wakes me at night there's been none 😳

Take care x

FixTheBone · 06/07/2022 11:53

Needs an xray, particularly if you can't weightbear.

Doesn't need to be a broken bone to have significant effects, midfoot ligament injuries and dislocations for example can be easily missed and cause permanent issues.

tellmewhentheLangshiplandscoz · 06/07/2022 11:53

Forgot to say apparently it's the ligament damage as well as teeny tiny bone fragment which is causing issues with my movement range

tellmewhentheLangshiplandscoz · 06/07/2022 11:57

Aaah bugger just read whole thread OP ... ouch. Hope you have a good sleep

Proudboomer · 06/07/2022 12:01

When I broke my ankle it was pretty clear as my foot was facing in the wrong direction. I broke both the tibia and fibula and dislocated it at the same time. 10 days in hospital, pinned and plated back together and 4 months in plaster and none load bearing and then into a boot for several more months.