Okay, I know this is a stupid question to ask. I know that every one of you are going to tell me to GO TO A DOCTOR.
This is why I’m asking:
My doctor is closed until Monday. It’s Saturday.
I have a copay of 50 dollars if I go to the hospital.
I would rather not go to the hospital unless I know it’s broken.
Here is what happened:
I was running around the house without my shoes on last night. I was bouncing along, and took a running hop. I landed on one foot and it rolled. I heard a double pop, and then I lay for a while in agony. I elevated it and put ice on it.
Here are my symptoms:
It’s swollen only a little. The pain is right under my anklebone. It doesn’t hurt unless I move it or put any weight on it. I can’t put weight on it at all.
The reason why I don’t think it’s broken is because it’s not swollen all that much. I thought that if you had a break it swelled to about twice its size. It’s not bruised either.
However, the pain is localized (right under my ankle) and there is a bit of swelling. And I can’t put weight on it!
I won’t go to the emergency room unless it’s a break because I just can’t afford it right now. I’m really in a dillemma about this.
If the amount of swelling one has could be used as an indicator of whether a bone is broken or not, I wouldn’t have to take x-rays. Hearing your bones pop is not a good sign. Don’t mess around with this. If you can’t afford it, ask to sign up for charity care.
I don’t suppose you have a large tuning fork handy, do ya? If so, strike it to get it vibrating and have someone put it on your ankle, touching the bone. Try a few spots.
If they have to peel you off the ceiling and you’re whimpering in pain, it’s broken. If it didn’t increase the pain at all, it’s probably (but not assuredly) a sprain.
I broke my ankle about 16 months ago playing football and didn’t get it looked at, continued walking through the pain and whatnot. It still hurts occasionally.
Moral of story…go and get it checked, you might get paid sick leave or something
Went to Urgent Care and got it x-rayed. They still were not sure whether I had broken it or not. I’m not sure the Saturday physician was very good at interpreting x-rays. He didn’t seem sure, either, so I got a referral and am going to see a bone specialist (the name escapes me at the moment) on Monday.
But the visit was worth it because they gave me crutches and an ankle brace. I’m typing this sitting on the couch with my foot elevated. I’m going to be here until Monday.
Most of all I’m angry because I was finally getting a good jogging routine off the ground. I’ve been jogging three months and I felt like I was doing great! And now I’m going to have to do it all over again! I’m such a :wally
I trashed my ankle several years ago. The xray didn’t show a break and I ended up seeing several specialists over the years. I’ve been in and out of orthopedic boots, casts and braces.
At the end of the day I WISH I had just broken it. Meat damage in that area isn’t fun.
Best of luck to you. I hope it ends up being a simple sprain or a slight crack to a bone which heals quickly. In any case, baby it. I didn’t with mine and I think that’s one reason it still hurts 10 years later.
