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Original poster

Loud crack when went over on ankle

37 replies

Sleepeatrepeat · 06/04/2022 22:29

So Sunday I was out walking the dog. Went over on a plate thing in the road. There was a very loud crack and instant pain that made me want to pass out or throw up.

Ankle is now bruised but not massively swollen. Wasn't able to weight bare initially but can pretty much walk about ok. Albeit with some discomfort.

The knuckle bit of my ankle is still very tender to the touch.

Our local hospitals are drowning under covid cases so am not wanting to go unnecessarily but insure if I should get it checked.

The noise was very definitely a crack as opposed to a pop.

Anyone know if its possible to have limited pain and be able to walk with a fractured bone? Just wondering if I ought to head everyone's nagging and get it checked.

Thanks folks

OP posts:
georgedawes · 06/04/2022 22:31

It absolutely could be! Do you have an urgent care centre instead that has x ray facilities?

CavernousScream · 06/04/2022 22:31

Yeah, it could well be a fracture. Do you have minor injuries clinics near you? Wear an FFP2 mask and go for an X-ray.

TheLovleyChebbyMcGee · 06/04/2022 22:33

Yes could be broken, I'd get it checked out!

LadyBadenPowellsHat · 06/04/2022 22:33

FGS get an x-ray. I did this 20 years ago and ended up walking on it and six months later it was a surgical situation, I have a pin permanently in my foot now.

CraneVille · 06/04/2022 22:40

I did this last year on an ankle that I regularly sprain. The crack and subsequent pain was so different to normal that I went to A&E, where they X rayed it and insisted it was just a sprain. A few days later I got a call to say they had reviewed the x Ray and I had broken a small bone.

The treatment didn't change (rest as much as possible until better) but I was grateful to know why it was so much worse than normal.

Perfectly possible to walk/hobble around with a broken bone somewhere in the ankle .

FangsForTheMemory · 06/04/2022 22:46

I walked around on a fractured ankle for three weeks. It was much as you describe. The ligament had pulled away, taking a bit of bone with it. So off you go to A&E.

Original poster
Sleepeatrepeat · 06/04/2022 23:11

Thanks for the advice

Unfortunately no minor injuries or urgent care centres. Would have to be the main town hospital.

The NHS website says a gp should be able to diagnose from feeling it and areas of pain so might see if I can get it with the gp if the tenderness doesn't ease in the next couple of days.

Just don't wanna pole up to A&E if it is only sprianed/bruised. The poor staff have enough on without me wasting their time.

OP posts:
Original poster
Sleepeatrepeat · 06/04/2022 23:13

It isn't massively painful. If I step wrong when I walk it makes me wince but mostly it doesn't hurt. Only if I put direct pressure on the knuckle bit.

It is a beautiful purple and red though.

OP posts:
fruitpastille · 06/04/2022 23:14

Absolutely you need an x ray. The longer you leave it the more it will swell up making treatment more complicated if it's fractured.

thisplaceisweird · 06/04/2022 23:16

Another comment just to say the exact same happened to me, I was convinced it was broken felt like I would pass out, but just a bad sprain and lots of bruising in the end.
Better to get it checked though to be sure

Longdistance · 06/04/2022 23:17

You need an X-ray. When I fell down the stairs, I heard a crack/snap noise. That was me breaking my leg in 3 places and needing surgery. I now have two metal plates and 19 screws in my leg.

So, yes, X-ray asap for you!

Hugasauras · 06/04/2022 23:21

Could be a ligament tearing too. I did this and the snap of it was heard by people walking about 12 feet behind me. I was sure it was a broken bone after the noise but it was 'just' a torn ligament (although the hospital doc said that sometimes a plain break is preferable to a ligament - mine certainly took a long time to heal and was 'weak' for a good couple of years after).

Original poster
Sleepeatrepeat · 06/04/2022 23:21

@Longdistance

You need an X-ray. When I fell down the stairs, I heard a crack/snap noise. That was me breaking my leg in 3 places and needing surgery. I now have two metal plates and 19 screws in my leg.

So, yes, X-ray asap for you!

Big difference between falling down stairs and going over on your ankle whilst walking though.
OP posts:
567and · 06/04/2022 23:22

DD did this in a PE lesson at school. Went over on her ankle, loud crack, no bruising and walked around in it all day, although was a bit painful. She went to her all-day dance rehearsals the next day as she said it wasn’t too bad, and told her to take it easy and shout up if it was painful. That evening she said it was still painful and had started to swell a little, so we took her to A&E and low and behold was actually broken. Apparently there’s a tendon (or ligament, I can’t remember which they said!) that goes from the bone up your leg and then you go over on your ankle it stretches, pulls on the bone and can snap it. Anyway, she had a pot on for a couple of weeks, then a boot that she wore for a further month. Healed quickly and had no issues since thankfully. I’d get it checked just in case.

Hugasauras · 06/04/2022 23:22

Mine was done by stepping on the edge of a hole and my foot going one way and my leg/ankle going the other. The bruise was absolutely glorious - over the entire top of my foot.

Lindy2 · 06/04/2022 23:24

If you can weight bare then hopefully it's not a fracture. I personally think you'd be in more ongoing pain if it was broken.

I do think you need to get it checked though. A call to your GP sounds like a good idea.

Original poster
Sleepeatrepeat · 06/04/2022 23:24

@Hugasauras

Could be a ligament tearing too. I did this and the snap of it was heard by people walking about 12 feet behind me. I was sure it was a broken bone after the noise but it was 'just' a torn ligament (although the hospital doc said that sometimes a plain break is preferable to a ligament - mine certainly took a long time to heal and was 'weak' for a good couple of years after).
Th exactly it is relatively painless when walking about makes me think this is what I have done to be honest.

I broke my foot (same song as ankle) about 20 years ago and the pain was incredible. Like even tramadol and Tylex didn't touch it. So the gcat I am not in any significant pain is making me wonder if I would be wasting precious resource

OP posts:
fallfallfall · 06/04/2022 23:24

broke two ankles at the same time walking...turned over when half my foot was on the lip of the cement and the other half was 1-2 inches lower with gravel.
get an x ray and NO a dr can't tell by "looking at it".

FloJo151 · 06/04/2022 23:31

Yep, I did exactly the same, just went over on it when walking. Was able to weight bear, although hobbling and even drive to work and back for 2 days. 3rd day the bruise started going up the side of my leg and was still a little painful so went to A&E, got an a X-ray fully expecting them to say it was just a sprain and li and behold I had broken the bottom of my tibia!! I would defo get checked out cos if it is broken and you carry on as normal you could end up with more complications!!

Ladyglittersparkleseriously · 06/04/2022 23:46

Did exactly the same a few years ago - the crack was so loud it sounded like someone stamping on a plastic glass, and I felt sick. Lots of bruising. It was just a sprain, not a fracture, but the recovery time was just as long. Get some frozen peas on it!

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 07/04/2022 00:55

Get it seen, no one can tell without an x-ray and you absolutely need one.

AuntTwacky · 07/04/2022 01:12

You should get x ray in case it's broken

tigerbird · 07/04/2022 01:47

It definitely is possible to walk on it when broken, exactly the kind of injury you describe happened to my best friend a couple of months ago and she walked on it for two months before finally going to get it looked at and she’d actually broken her fibula above the ankle. The tibia was bearing the weight. It was a miracle the break hadn’t moved too much or she would have needed quite a complex surgery, as it was they put her in a boot for another month!

Get an X-ray to check as if a break is left the results can be not at all good.

tigerbird · 07/04/2022 01:53

The knuckle bit of my ankle is still very tender to the touch.

Also FWIW pain in the lateral malleolus (the bumpy bit I think that you’re meaning by “the knuckle”?) can be indicative of a bone break in/near the ankle, just so you know!

WeirdlyKind · 07/04/2022 01:55

I walked on a broken foot for weeks! You need an x ray and to stop walking on it!