# How do you know when you have a sprain or have twisted something?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-know-when-you-have-a-sprain-or-have-twisted-something/395142>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [March 8, 2007, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-know-when-you-have-a-sprain-or-have-twisted-something/395142 "2007-03-08T19:10:04Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\
**Post date:** [March 8, 2007, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-know-when-you-have-a-sprain-or-have-twisted-something/395142/1 "2007-03-08T19:10:04Z")

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I admit I am rather anti-doctor’s visits (note this does not mean anti-doctor!) and hate going through all the trouble to get to see mine. So I’ve never had a sprain or anythihng formally diagnosed.

I think I did something to my foot yesterday, though. But I don’t recall hurting it specifically. I do recall running around a lot.

Now it feels like a tight sort of band wrapped around the middle of it. Like the muscle is stretched taut or something. And I can’t put my full weight on it. It feels like if whatever is holding it tight would only just let go, I’d feel better. And I’ve tried to lean on it a bit. But it won’t let go.

How do I have any idea of this is a mild sprain? Is this what they feel like? Dopers? And no, I probably won’t go to the doctor. I see no need, really. I’ll take two Advil and deal with it.

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**Author:** ![Spatial\_Rift\_47](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a8b319/32.png) [@Spatial\_Rift\_47](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spatial_Rift_47)\
**Post date:** [March 8, 2007, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-know-when-you-have-a-sprain-or-have-twisted-something/395142/2 "2007-03-08T19:49:09Z")

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I don’t think you need to see a doctor. I went dancing a few weeks ago and experienced something similar. After a few days, it went away. Now, if it doesn’t go away within a week or starts to get worse, _then_ I would recommend a doctor.

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**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\
**Post date:** [March 8, 2007, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-know-when-you-have-a-sprain-or-have-twisted-something/395142/3 "2007-03-08T19:54:57Z")

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I’ve had a couple dozen ankle sprains, and in every case I knew right away that something was wrong. There were also a few turned-ankle moments that didn’t hurt more than a day or two. I never had a sprain that didn’t hurt instantly.

Rest  
Ice (as soon as possible)  
Compression (Ace bandage)  
Elevation (at least as high as your heart)

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**Author:** ![SiXSwordS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@SiXSwordS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SiXSwordS)\
**Post date:** [March 8, 2007, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-know-when-you-have-a-sprain-or-have-twisted-something/395142/4 "2007-03-08T20:07:53Z")

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IANAD, but I play one in the garage.

The only time I had to go to the Doctor for something like this it _looked_ bad. It wasn’t blue exactly, but it was discolored. Other people looked at it and had to supress the vomit.