Can a broken ankle be mistaken for a sprain?

A broken ankle can often be mistaken for a sprain, even with an X-ray, due to the complex structure of tissue, muscle, and ligaments concealing the bone. If not properly treated, an ankle break can lead to further pain, damage to the ankle joint, and impede mobility.

How can you tell if ankle is sprained or broken?

Sprains are painful, but fractures are often accompanied by numbness or tingling. Where are you experiencing pain? If your ankle hurts or is tender to the touch directly over the ankle bone, you probably have a fracture. By contrast, if the pain is in the soft part of the ankle, it's more likely a sprain.

Can a sprained ankle be misdiagnosed?

Ankle sprains may be one of the most common injuries, but they're also commonly misdiagnosed. That's because the two major types of sprained ankles—high ankle sprains and lateral ankle sprains—often look the same, even though they affect entirely different ligaments.

Can you break your ankle and still walk on it?

Broken ankle — can you still walk? Typically, a minor ankle fracture won't prevent you from walking. You might even be able to walk right after the injury. If you have a serious break, you'll need to avoid walking for a few months.

Can a broken ankle be misdiagnosed?

However, the clinical presentation of some subtle fractures can be similar to that of routine ankle sprains, and they are commonly misdiagnosed as such. Many of these injuries, if left without a definitive diagnosis, result in long-term disability (Table 1).

What does a sprained ankle feel and look like?

“Some sprains just feel twisted or tweaked, and while they are a little swollen and tender, you can still walk. But ankle sprains can also be fairly severe, with lots of swelling and bruising, along with severe pain when any weight is placed on them.” Too often, Dr.

Can you move your toes with a broken ankle?

Most believe that if they can wiggle their toes or move the ankle around that an ankle fracture has not occurred. The reason this is not true is because the nerves and muscles that allow the movement of the ankle have not been affected by the fracture.

What happens if a broken ankle goes untreated?

When a bone fracture is untreated, it can result in either a nonunion or a delayed union. In the former case, the bone doesn't heal at all, which means that it will remain broken. As a result, swelling, tenderness, and pain will continue to worsen over time.

How painful is a broken ankle?

If you fractured your ankle, you will likely experience immediate, sharp pain and possible swelling. Additional symptoms include: Pain that spreads throughout the foot and up your leg, toward your knee. Intensifying pain if you try to bear weight on your foot.

What can mimic a sprained ankle?

Discussion: A surprisingly long list of conditions can mimic a lateral ankle sprain, including syndesmosis sprains, subtalar sprains with or without instability, impingement lesions, chronic ankle instability, osteochondral lesions of the talus, peroneal tendon injury, tarsal coalition and fractures of the hindfoot.

What broken ankle feels like?

If you have a broken ankle, you may experience some of the following signs and symptoms: Immediate, throbbing pain. Swelling. Bruising.

Can a fractured ankle be missed?

Again, the mechanism of injury for these fractures is external rotation of the ankle. These fractures are commonly missed 2^nd fractures, and this is why your ankle exam starts at the proximal fibula and includes the entire length of the fibula.

When should you go to the doctor for an ankle injury?

Have severe pain or swelling. Have an open wound or severe deformity. Have signs of infection, such as redness, warmth and tenderness in the affected area or a fever greater than 100 F (37.8 C) Cannot put weight on your foot.

Do you need a cast for a fractured ankle?

A broken bone must be immobilized so that it can heal. In most cases, this requires a special boot or a cast.

What's the worst ankle break?

A trimalleolar ankle fracture is when your ankle breaks in three separate places. Only 7% of all ankle breaks are trimalleolar ankle fractures. They are rare, and they are among the worst kinds of ankle fractures.

How long should you elevate a broken ankle?

Keep your ankle elevated above heart level as much as possible for the first five days, then as needed when symptomatic for up to two weeks. This will prevent painful swelling and promote healing.

What hurts more a sprained or broken ankle?

A broken ankle is a more severe injury than a sprained ankle. With a clean break that doesn't need surgery, recovery can take around 6 to 8 weeks. If you need surgery, recovery will take longer. With a minor ankle sprain, it may take around 2 weeks to heal.

Does a broken ankle always bruise?

Similar to swelling, bruising accompanies almost every ankle sprain and fracture. Ligaments tend to be located at the tips of the bones in the ankle. Because of this, any bruising will be located around the tips of those bones.

When should you get an xray for sprained ankle?

It's time to get an X-ray if your child has any of the following symptoms: Tenderness over the bony prominence on either side of the ankle, particularly if it's in the back. Inability to bear any weight for four steps (limping counts as weight-bearing).

What injury is commonly misdiagnosed for a lateral ankle sprain?

The less common type—a high ankle sprain—is often mistaken for a lateral sprain. Misdiagnosis can delay getting the right treatment—and that can impair recovery. One problem is that the symptoms of high ankle sprains parallel those of the lateral ankle sprain, which occurs in the lower ankle area.

What is a talar dome?

Your talus or ankle bone has a domed top, completely covered in cartilage. When that cartilage and the underlying bone are damaged, it's called a talar dome lesion or an osteochondral defect. In most cases, talar dome lesions form after another ankle injury, like a sprain, when the cartilage doesn't heal correctly.

What is talus OCD?

An osteochondral lesion of the talus (OLT) is an area of abnormal, damaged cartilage and bone on the top of the talus bone (the lower bone of the ankle joint). This condition is also known as osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) of the talus or a talar osteochondral lesion (OCL).

What is osteochondral lesion?

Osteochondral lesions or osteochondritis dessicans can occur in any joint, but are most common in the knee and ankle. Such lesions are a tear or fracture in the cartilage covering one of the bones in a joint. The cartilage can be torn, crushed or damaged and, in rare cases, a cyst can form in the cartilage.

What does a talus fracture feel like?

A fractured talus usually causes: Extremely severe pain. An inability to put weight on the foot. Swelling and tenderness.