I hurt my foot/ankle a few weeks ago but I don't think sprained it.?
May.18, 2010 in
Foot Braces
I jumped off the last step and my foot/ankle began to hurt, but it didn’t roll inward or anything. Can landing on it harshly and the impact damage the ankle/foot like a sprain or is it something totally different? It mainly hurts the front of my foot/ankle and the inward part of the sole of my foot.It hurts and becomes swollen when I walk to much on it (obviously) and I can’t stand on my tip toes. Can anyone tell me whats wrong and Should I go to the doctors or should I continue to use pain killers, ice packs, braces, rest and elevation?
May 18th, 2010 at 12:02 am
It is difficult to sprain a ligament without actually stretching it, i.e. twisting the ankle. It is possible to test whether the ligament is damaged by putting the ankle (gently!) through various range of motion exercises (flexion, extension, rotating inward and outward) and seeing if these elicit the pain. Bruising or tenderness over a bony area may indicate a fracture.
Typically, for sprains, the treatment consists of ice packs, NSAIDS (such as Motrin, Alleve- but not Tylenol), braces to reduce stretching of the ligaments, and rest. Healing may take several weeks. If you are having difficulty walking due to pain, or haven’t had any significant improvement, it’s probably a good idea to see your doctor to make sure there’s nothing more serious.