# I think I may have just broken my ankle. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 27, 2010, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-i-may-have-just-broken-my-ankle/534030 "2010-03-27T17:08:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2010, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-i-may-have-just-broken-my-ankle/534030/21 "2010-04-02T00:27:54Z")
Here’s my comical broken ankle story: [I earn my Orange Heart, or, ice and fractures on the campaign trail](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=354776&highlight=ankle) ---
**Author:** ![mozchron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@mozchron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mozchron)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2010, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-i-may-have-just-broken-my-ankle/534030/22 "2010-04-02T00:30:05Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > For the love of god, don’t they teach people NOT to shove axillary crutches into the armpits anymore? > > NEVER DO THAT AGAIN. They are not to be used in that manner, that way lies nerve damage. > > Actually, just go down and spend $35-$40US on a pair of decent generic [aluminum forearm crutches](http://www.collectionsetc.com/Product/forearm-crutch-aluminum-cane.aspx?WT.mc_id=3HZZZ3). Your body will thank you for it. It is actually more ergonomic and easier to use properly than the infernal medieval torture devices passed out [and added to your hospital bill] Or take them back and trade them in for real crutches. > > [the link goes to a site that sells them one at a time, for some unknown reason …] Way ahead of you - I ordered forearm crutches yesterday after a few hours on these things - they get here tomorrow. I wish I had your link yesterday - would have saved myself about $40. I’m not shoving them into my armpits - the weight is on my wrists, not armpits - the pain is from squeezing them to my body as I use them, rather than hanging from my pits. Still hurts though. ---
**Author:** ![BubbaDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bubbadog/32/333_2.png) [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2010, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-i-may-have-just-broken-my-ankle/534030/23 "2010-04-02T18:51:55Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > :eek::smack: > I guess the answer is “no, you crawl” or something similar! I walked with a normal gait. I was limping until I sprained the second ankle. Since it hurt to shift the weight off of one ankle to another I pretty much just went ahead and walked in pain but with no noticeable change in my step. ---
**Author:** ![FallenAngel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@FallenAngel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FallenAngel)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2010, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-i-may-have-just-broken-my-ankle/534030/24 "2010-04-02T21:04:51Z")
When I was in Cub Scouts we had an obstacle course where we would take off running then get chased by another kid. Think combination obstacle course run for time combined with tag. There was a 2 meter wall we had to climb. The other kid was gaining on me; so I just jumped after reaching the top, rather than climbing back down. I landed with all of my weight on my right ankle, heard a, “Pop!” and went down screaming. The pack leader didn’t come for me until after the other kid had tagged me. Turned out I gave it a severe sprain and chipped a small portion off the ankle bone itself. 6 weeks of crutches and wraps. Totally shot the rest of my summer break. ---
**Author:** ![mozchron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@mozchron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mozchron)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2010, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-i-may-have-just-broken-my-ankle/534030/25 "2010-04-02T21:51:48Z")
Well, forearm crutches totally blow regular crutches out of the water. And physical therapy ROCKS. The ankle hurts, but not too bad - however, it was almost totally locked in the lateral direction (I can move it up-down, but it won’t move side-side. It doesn’t hurt, it just won’t move). After an hour of therapy, it moved! I have 7 more sessions. The PT said to put weight on the ankle, but use the crutches to support it so that only about 1/3 of my weight is actually supported by the ankle, and to WALK NORMALLY - heel toe. This has immensely relieved the fatigue of the crutches. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2010, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-i-may-have-just-broken-my-ankle/534030/26 "2010-04-04T01:36:31Z")
> [@mozchron](#): > > Way ahead of you - I ordered forearm crutches yesterday after a few hours on these things - they get here tomorrow. I wish I had your link yesterday - would have saved myself about $40. > > I’m not shoving them into my armpits - the weight is on my wrists, not armpits - the pain is from squeezing them to my body as I use them, rather than hanging from my pits. Still hurts though. Sorry, if I had a time machine I would go back and give you the link … :smack: You will love them. They are so much more ergonomic, with the forearm support part, you dont clamp the sticks so you move much more naturally. But on the plus side, they are adjustable, so several people in the household can use them in the future =) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-i-may-have-just-broken-my-ankle/534030.md?page=1)