difference between a sprain, a strain and a fracture?

Question

Im such a klutz! I fell in a pothole in a parking lot and I have no insurance. I realize the hospital will treat me reguardless, but I dont want a $1000 bill for a sprain or a strain of my ankle. It is very, VERY swollen on the outside, around the little knobby bone that sticks out, and is brusing quite badly. My toes are a little tingly and have been going slightly numb for the last 24 hours (this happened very late Saturday night). Im just wondering if anyone knows the physcial feelings that are different between a sprain, a strain and a fracture? I dont think its broken because, even though its very painful, i've been walking on it since it happened. Help, please!!

Answer 1

You need to seek medical treatment imediatly. Your severe swelling is a major sign you could have fractured, or even broken your ankle. The swelling may also be cutting of the circulation to your foot. Doctor Now!

Answer 2

bite the bullet and go to the ER, it could indeed be fractured and you could still walk on it, but even if it isn't a sprain or torn ligament can be worse and harder to heal than a fracture, and you won't know how to treat it until you know the extent of the injury.

Answer 3

A sprain is damage to the ligaments, a strain is damage to the muscle and a fracture is damage to the bone.

Answer 4

a sprain is a ligament damage. ususally a stretched ligament. if you are sure the bone isnt broken, elevate and apply ice to reduce swelling. stay off of it!

Answer 5

An ankle sprain is an injury to the ligament [not a tendon} in the ankle. The ligaments are structures that control excessive movement of the joint. When an ankle sprain happens, the ligament is stretched too far, and is either partially or completely torn. Common symptoms associated with an ankle sprain are pain with swelling and bruising. The degree of symptoms tends to correlate well with the extent of the damage to these ligaments. If you do have significant symptoms following a sprained ankle, you should seek medical attention. Signs that should raise concern include: Inability to walk on the ankle Significant swelling Symptoms that do not improve quickly or persist beyond a few days Pain in the foot or above the ankle TREATMENT (RICE): Rest: The first 24-48 hours after the injury is considered a critical treatment period and activities need to be curtailed. Gradually put as much weight on the involved ankle as tolerated and discontinue crutch use when you can walk with a normal gait (with minimal to no pain or limp). Ice: For the first 48 hours post-injury, ice pack and elevate the ankle sprain 20 minutes at a time every 3-4 hours. The ice pack can be a bag of frozen vegetables (peas or corn), allowing you to be able to re-use the bag. Another popular treatment method is to fill paper cups with water then freeze the cup. Use the frozen cube like an ice cream cone, peeling away paper as the ice melts. Do NOT ice a ankle sprain for more than 20 minutes at a time!! You will not be helping heal the ankle sprain any faster, and you can cause damage to the tissues! Compression: Use compression when elevating the ankle sprain in early treatment. Using an Ace bandage, wrap the ankle from the toes all the way up to the top of the calf muscle, overlapping the elastic wrap by one-half of the width of the wrap. The wrap should be snug, but not cutting off circulation to the foot and ankle. So, if your foot becomes cold, blue, or falls asleep, re-wrap! Elevate: Keep your ankle sprain higher than your heart as often as possible. Elevate at night by placing books under the foot of your mattresses--just stand up slowly in the morning. FRACTURE: While many people believe that a fracture is a "hairline break," or a certain type of broken bone, this is not true. A fracture and a broken bone are the same thing! When a broken ankle occurs, the injury may be to the end of the tibia (the medial malleolus) or to the fibula (the lateral malleolus), or both. There are some general treatment principles of ankle fractures that can be explained here. Common symptoms of an ankle fracture include: Pain to touch Swelling Bruising **INABILITY TO WALK ON THE LEG **DEFORMITY AROUND THE ANKLE The basic treatments of ankle fractures are described below. Again, anyone with a broken ankle must discuss their individual treatment plan with their doctor, but this outlines some of the basics of ankle fracture treatment: *ICE AND ELEVATION *X-RAYS *SPLINT *CAST *Crutches *Possible Srugical Intervention Review this information and decide if your condition is much beyond a mild sprain. If mild you can follow the established RICE treatment outlined above. If more serious, it is imperative that you contact your treatment provider and have your condition assessed appropriately to ensure that you will experience no long term complications as a result of your injury. Good Luck