Twisted or broken.....

[Sterling]

Has anyone had experience with a broken or twisted/sprained ankle? This morning while I was heading outside I walked into a little hole I did'nt see (thanks to the fall leaves) and my ankle went one way and I went the other. I hear it snap, crack and the pain was excrutiating.....needless to say I hit the dirt tried to stop my fall with my hands and immediately thought to roll over on my shoulder. I was down pretty much hyperventillating for a few minutes and probably was laying there for about a good 4 to 5 minutes without moving. I thought I had broke something. Finally when the pain subsided I was able to crawl my way back up to the porch and into the house and get on the phone to call hubby. The scarey part was not being able to get up!!

I've taken Tylenol and put ice on it. It's difficlt to rotate the ankle. I can put pressure on it but it's very stiff. If it's not doing good I'll have to go get it x-rayed.

What I'm wondering is if anyone has ever had a broken ankle and can tell me what it feels like....can't quite put a finger on it if it's broken or just sprained real bad. If it were broken I'm thinking I could not bear weight on it? I think with this experience I'll be keeping a phone with me more often now when I go out to the barn.

 

[Just Us N Texas]

I've always heard that if you can wiggle your toes (or fingers if on the hand) it is not broken. However, I think I would trust and x-ray over old sayings! You should see the Dr. anyway, as some sprains can be worse than a broken bone.

 

[runamuk]

Has anyone had experience with a broken or twisted/sprained ankle? This morning while I was heading outside I walked into a little hole I did'nt see (thanks to the fall leaves) and my ankle went one way and I went the other. I hear it snap, crack and the pain was excrutiating.....needless to say I hit the dirt tried to stop my fall with my hands and immediately thought to roll over on my shoulder. I was down pretty much hyperventillating for a few minutes and probably was laying there for about a good 4 to 5 minutes without moving. I thought I had broke something. Finally when the pain subsided I was able to crawl my way back up to the porch and into the house and get on the phone to call hubby. The scarey part was not being able to get up!!

I've taken Tylenol and put ice on it. It's difficlt to rotate the ankle. I can put pressure on it but it's very stiff. If it's not doing good I'll have to go get it x-rayed.

What I'm wondering is if anyone has ever had a broken ankle and can tell me what it feels like....can't quite put a finger on it if it's broken or just sprained real bad. If it were broken I'm thinking I could not bear weight on it? I think with this experience I'll be keeping a phone with me more often now when I go out to the barn.

Either way....

Rest

Ice

Compresson

Elevation

if you have an ace bandage wrap it snugly but not tight, ice for 15-20 minutes then off for 15-20 elevate it with a pillow. Sprains hurt like a mother......and often will swell and turn many lovely shades of blue purple etc.......... get an xray as soon as possible just in case.

Sprained mine playing football as a teen I crawled about 4 blocks home, I remember hearing a huge snap and almost passed out......if you follow the RICE protocol you will reduce the swelling which can be immense.........sending good thoughts your way.....

 

[misfitminis]

A few years ago. (When I didn't have health insurance) I did the same to my ankle -it bruised really bad too. For 4 weeks I wrapped my ankle with a layer of poultice/gauze/and vet wrap both morning and night -I changed it twice a day and kept it elevated at night. Then the next 4 weeks I wrapped it only at night. It hurt so bad when my foot flexed downward when I walked that the vet wrap kept it from flexing down. Good luck.

 

[REO]

I'm sorry you got hurt!!!

PLEASE! (don't make me come over there) go to the Dr. and get an xray. Don't mess or guess with those type of injuries. Please get it checked.

I used to think that if you could wiggle a finger it wasn't broken. Until the day my upper arm was broken and twisted, facing the wrong way. Yup I could move my fingers.

 

[TangoMango]

When I was 16 , I broke my ankle. Missed a step on a sidewalk. Heard a pop,excruciating pain. Within 5 mins is was extremely swollen, purple-red-blue. I ended up driving home, a STICK shift to boot. When I got home my parents were waiting for me because I was 1/2 hour late for my curfew. I got yelled at, and told to go to bed. I gimped up the stairs, went to bed, tossed and turned all night because of the pain. Got up the next morning, went to put even the slightest amount of weight on it and fell on the floor in pain.

Yep, the parents felt pretty bad when the doc said it was broke. LOL

I would say the only way to be sure would be to go get an x ray. Why chance it?

 

[laughingllama75]

the FIRST time I broke my ankle, I could wiggle my toes. I wasnt all that black and blue, but I did hear a pop or cracking sound. the second time I did it, I knew it was broken again.....lets not go there........

I would highly recommend going to the doctors......let us know how it turns out.

 

[Jill]

I spranged my ankle in the early 90's about two years before I got my first riding horse (and started riding regularly). I remember because it had been a couple years yet my ankle would hurt when I'd ride.

When it happened, I had managed to trip over something in the house and I was plenty old enough not to cry because something hurt but I was bawling!!!! I'd just started working with my dad and we'd just changed the health insurance. I remember calling him/mom and leaving a voicemail that I was okay but I think I was wanting to make sure of something about our group number. I don't know, but I remember trying to talk normal and just sobbing that I was going to be okay (like I might actually die).

So, {{{Cheyenne}}} I remember how bad it hurts!!! I don't know how a break feels compared to a sprain but mine was the thing that hurt me the most in my life. It was awful. I'm worried with you hearing a pop. I think you need to go to the hospital! Even if it is "just" a sprang, they will give you meds that would make the trip worth it to me (bad Jill bad).

I hope you are feeling a lot better soon.

 

[Miniv]

From your description, I would betcha it's at least cracked (fractured). Something similar happened to me -- the same sound, the same reaction.........I was positive it was only sprained, but an x-ray proved otherwise.

I would recommend you get it x-rayed.

MA

 

[jess]

I'd have it checked. The first time I broke my ankle I thought I had just sprained it didn't go to the doctor or anything. I'm not a fan of hospitals. The second time I broke my ankle was when I jumped off a horse who decided to become a bucking bronco and was headed straight for the arena wall. When I broke it the second time they recommended surgical repair as I tore the ligaments and when I did it took a chunk of bone with it. They also saw where I had broken it the first time. I said nope no way give me an air cast and I'll be fine. I was 20 and very serious about my job(manager for a Morgan breeding and show barn specializing in three day eventing)The next day I was riding again at a show. Well I'm 33 now and my ankle is pretty much toast. It gives out at least once if not more a day and now rather then just a simple surgery the only way they'll be able to repair it is to fuse it. I'll eventually have that done but for now I live with a permanantly bruised and swollen ankle that would've been fine if I had just let them tighten it up the first time. I'll just be walking along and all of a sudden I'm on the ground in extreme pain. I've gotten used to it but if I could I'd go back and just have let them do the surgery.

 

[ChrystalPaths]

Oh Cheyenne! Good that you rolled instead of bracing with your hands. As for the ankle, darlin, Rori is right follow the R I C E and rest! I say a fracture but not much they can do except wrap it...if the swelling won't go down by supper? head to the ER for an Xray OK? DO NOT walk on it!

 

[Valerie]

Oh my gosh.......poor thing, that sounds awful!!

I vote to go get an x-ray also....and yes, use the RICE method........

Hope you are feeling better soon!!

 

[Hosscrazy]

Here's my advice. If this were either Manny or Hershey, would you call the vet? If the answer is yes, then go see your doctor.

Liz R.

 

[Equuisize]

Get thee to thy doctor, Punkin'.....Or I'm gonna call your Mom

When I sprained my ankle they said I'd have been better off to

have broken it......it'd have healed faster........

 

[Mona]

Cheyenne, that sounds AWFUL! I would definately think you need to see a doctor and have that xrayed!! Better to be safe than sorry! Good Luck!

 

[Sterling]

You guys are wonderful!!!

Thank you for all your advice and sharing your experiences. I have taken your advice and called my dr.'s office. They faxed a referral over to my X-ray center which usually takes 3 days....but they thought this was important...so I expect to get an x-ray done tomorrow sometime. The earlier the better. I'm pushing thru the pain...frankly I don't feel too much pain unless I flex of twist it here and there. (Starting to get a wee bit purple in some spots, but not much.) I'm surprised that with the way I fell and twisted it I am even able to stand verticle without much pain. Weird!

Oh....and after laying there on the ground wondering how I was ever gonna get up...after crawling onto the porch and into the house with the girls (pups) flocking around me...finally came in and was a brave soul. What is it about when you hear that voice at the other end of the line, sounding so warm and gentle (hubby) that makes one turn to butter and bawl like a baby? I felt silly....like I was ok.....just shaken up a bit. Sheesh!

 

[lvponies]

Glad you're going to get x-rays done. Better safe then sorry!

Please follow the advice others have given about keeping it elevated, icing, etc. And take it easy!!!

 

[twister]

Cheyenne, Sorry you got hurt but glad you are going to get it xrayed, don't make the mistake of walking on it until you get the results of the xray because you could do more damage. When my hubby broke his a couple of years ago he wouldn't go to the hospital for a couple of days and was insisting on walking, well he did more damage and ended up on crutches for most of that winter. Hope you get better soon.

Yvonne

 

[angel_cowgirl]

Good luck, I hope it turns out well, like just a sprain or something!

A friend of mine broke her foot one time but never knew it until months later. She said it hurt occassionally when doing stuff so she went to the doctor, and as I said, told her her foot was broken. She couldn't really figure out how it ever happened. But anyway what I thought was interesting of what she told me...the Dr. told her that you CAN break bones in your feet and not know it.

One of my feet has been stepped on in the same place about the 3 or 4 times in the last year by different horses. So after about the 2nd time I went to my doctor. He would only visually look at it because he insisted that if I had done something worse I wouldn't be able to walk on it like I was. But it STILL hurts off and on and just looks kind of odd to me but what do I know. Then the other day one of the horses trompled over the side of my ankle (?) (right above the top of the foot where it connects to the leg, more on the topish than on the side by the ankle knob thing) trying to get out of her pen to the pasture and now it hurts where I can't like stretch my foot out, pointing it downward because it hurts. That one dr. just told me my foot was probably bruised on the inside and that can last a long time, but over a year?!

I remember spraining my ankle when I was younger. I still can't figure out exactly what happened but I had brought my bike in the yard and was going to go put it up and somehow I ended up on the ground with the bike on top of me. It hurt but wasn't too bad til I tried to get up. When I tried to get up I absolutely could not put weight on the foot. Luckily I was near the house and hung on to the edge all the way around on one foot until I could get in. Ugh, that hurt. Don't want to do that again.

 

[Kathy2m]

I'm glad your going for an X-ray, keep us posted, I'll be thinking about you, good luck, Kathy