To go to the walk in centre with a (probably) sprained ankle

[Hothothothothotdog]

I fell before quite heavily after going over on my ankle. It’s swelled up and looks like I’m going to get a corker of a bruise. It’s painful but I’m fairly sure it’s a sprain, however my friend is concerned that it’s fractured and I should go to the walk in and get it checked out. I’m not sure and think maybe I’m just being a wimp. Would I be U to go and get it x-rayed?

Get it xrayed.

I’d go if there’s a possibility it’s broken, that’s what it’s there for! Hope it’s a sprain for you tho- a cast in this weather!

Absolutely! Injuries like this are exactly what walk in centres are for.

It’s painful but weight bearing so I don’t think it’s broken! Just think I’d feel a bit pathetic (although relieved) if it was just a sprain.

Agreed with PP. Plus if you walk around on it fractured you will possibly cause more damage - I know two people who did this in my teens and the recovery was terrible.

People are so quick to run for help these days.

Put it up, ice it, rest it and see in the morning. It’s more than likely fine. Generally you would know by the level of pain if there’s anything seriously wrong.

My ex husband walked around for a month with a broken wrist including carrying cases across a city. He only went to the Doctor because his elbow still hurt. He was sent for an x-ray and came home with a cast

I would RICE it for the evening and see how things feel tomorrow.

Well this is what I don’t want to do! But just keep hearing horror stories about how people didn’t realise about fractures etc

Well, don't go tonight, even if it is open, but elevate it and ice it and pop along tomorrow. It might be a fracture or may be a torn ligament. Take paracetamol for the pain, in the meantime.

I supposedly tore a ligament a couple of decades ago. Swelled up with a big black bruise. I could sort of weight bear on it (I have a high pain threshold, or at least I did when I was younger) so they wouldn't x-ray it. I've had problems with it, ever since. It's aching and having a very clicky night with this weather!

My friend fell and hurt his ankle but decided it was a sprain as he could weight bear. The following couple of weeks he ran a marathon!
The next day he woke up and it was really swollen, went to an And e and they found it was broken. He has to be operated on and have it re broken as it had started to heal misaligned.

Yes I’ve iced it, taken paracetamol etc if it’s still swollen and painful in the morning I’ll go early then. I feel bad for taking resources but I guess it’s what they are for!

Don't be silly. You are not taking resources, you are using them as they are intended.

My DP hurt his foot, and left it. It was still sore a few weeks later. Got it x-rayed and it turned out he had broken it. Had to do physio.

If you have broken it, you want to make sure you are not going to make things worse by still walking on it etc, and that you get the right treatment and advice.

Edit - duplicate post.

You can check the Ottowa ankle rules to self assess whether they're likely to x-ray. You can't get x-rays without there being reasonable likelihood it's broken.

Sprains can be as bad for recovery, it can take weeks for the swelling to properly resolve.

There is no harm in leaving it overnight and following RICE. If it's not dislocated, there's no wound and you're not unable to manage the pain then making a decision in the morning won't affect the outcome even if it does need treatment.

I did something similar and drove and hobbled round for a few days. I had an appointment booked with the GP for something entirely unconnected, limped in and he told me to get it xrayed. It was fractured, I had surgery to correct it and then spent eight weeks in plaster so yes, definitely get it xrayed.

Yes I won’t be going tonight, I’ve elevated it and will see how it feels tomorrow. Given the anecdotal evidence on this thread though, it’s made me more likely to go!

I would go! I went over on my ankle about a month ago, it swelled up and I couldn’t weight bear for a day or so. Thought it would be ok after a couple of days rest but after a couple of weeks it was still swollen though i could walk on it. Turns out i have a grade 3 sprain and a torn ligament. If I’d gone to the walk in I would’ve got a boot to wear for a couple of weeks and it would’ve helped my recovery. As it is, I’m at physio weekly, I’m limited as to what I can do sport-wise and I’ve lengthened the recovery time due to using it when I shouldn’t have been.

Defo go and get it checked out!

Sprains are often more painful and take longer to heal than breaks!

Get an x-ray. I walked around on a broken ankle for 3 days because I thought the bruise would go down.

I walked round on a broken ankle for 3 days after they refused to X Ray, even though I told them I’d heard a snap, so don’t take no for an answer if it feels really bad!
But it has healed v well because I had a boot and kept moving!

I'd get it seen now. The sooner you know what you've done the better.
My broken ankle barely swelled up and only had a speck of a bruise.
The longer you leave it the worse the outcome will be.

A colleague has totally fucked his ankle up by not getting it seen quickly. Turned out he had a nasty sprain. It never went in a boot and is, I shit you not, still bruised 3 months on and swollen. I was running 3 months after my break as I got it seen within the hour.

I fell.off a kerb two days ago and went over on my ankle big time. I'm ok with pain but felt like I might throw up. I could put weight on it and limp about with pain, but it was really swollen and there was a small area where the pain felt very focused. I probably wouldn't have gone to see about it, but I'd also managed to land on the opposite leg with knee in full flexion, that felt even worse and by mid-afternoon I was struggling a bit as couldn't really walk properly on either leg! 111 advised getting things checked out, went to Minor Injuries, they X rayed, ankle showed Avulsion fracture. Got given a boot for comfort and crutches to.use for a bit. Really helps given other leg isn't doing so well either!

Yes you will never know unless it’s x-rayed! In the meantime RICE rest ice compress elevate