Do ankle sprains hurt worse than breaks?

Sprains. Sprains can be extremely painful, and are easy to confuse as a break. Many times, they are more painful than a fracture, which has been confirmed by science.

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.

Why is a sprained ankle worse than a break?

Sometimes, a sprain can be even more painful than a break. A sprain is caused by trauma that overstretches ligaments and puts stress on a joint. A mild sprain is where the ligaments are stretched but the joint remains stable, while a moderate sprain is where the ligaments are slightly torn, making the joint unstable.

Do sprains take longer to heal than breaks?

A bone fracture typically takes six to eight weeks to heal, while a ligament sprain can take between three and six months to heal. The time difference in healing a bone versus a ligament is all about blood flow. The bone has better access to blood, whereas unfortunately, ligaments do not.

Can an ankle sprain feel like a break?

With a sprain, you feel pain. But if you have numbness or tingling, your ankle is most likely broken. Where is the pain? If your ankle hurts or is tender to the touch directly over your ankle bone, you probably have a fracture.

Ankle Sprain? Is it BROKE? How to Tell

Can you wiggle 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.

Did I break my foot or sprain it?

Another way to tell the difference between a broken foot and sprained foot is the sound the body makes when the injury occurs. If you have a sprain, you're more likely to hear a popping sound. If you have a fracture, then you're more likely to hear a cracking sound.

How painful is a sprained ankle?

“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.

How do you tell if it's a sprain or a break?

If you can walk with soreness, it is unlikely that it is broken. Is there significant swelling? If the injured area experiences immediate and severe swelling, that could be a sign of a broken bone or fracture. However, if the swelling is mild and develops gradually, it is likely a sprain or strain.

How do I know if my ankle sprain is severe?

Does a sprain hurt to touch?

The ankle area is usually tender to touch, and it hurts to move it. In more severe sprains, you may hear and/or feel something tear, along with a pop or snap. You will probably have extreme pain at first and will not be able to walk or even put weight on your foot.

Can you walk on a fractured ankle?

Many people assume that if you can put weight on the ankle then it isn't broken, however, it is possible to walk on a broken ankle, particularly with a less severe fracture. If you're concerned your ankle may be broken, we recommend contacting your doctor, who can conduct an examination or order and xray if necessary.

What hurts more torn ligament or broken bone?

Broken bones, ligament or tendon is a painful thing. We should avoid them as much as possible. But why do bones heal better than ligaments/tendons? The short answer is because the bone has plenty of blood supply to it compared to ligament/tendon, which has very little and ligament/tendons are more complex to rebuild.

Can you break your ankle and not know it?

Can I really break my ankle and not know it? It may sound strange, but the answer is a resounding, Yes! While it seems like a broken bone is something you should be able to detect, the truth is that other ankle injuries share similar symptoms.

How can you tell a broken ankle?

How long should you stay off a sprained ankle?

Grade 1 sprained ankle recovery time is anywhere from 2 weeks to a month, normally closer to the two-week mark with proper treatment. A grade 1 sprained ankle can be treated almost entirely at home. The pain is fairly minor, if difficult to deal with.

Should I go to the ER for an ankle sprain?

Go to urgent care if your pain level and swelling is significant and you have difficulty walking, to the point that you need assistance, due to the pain. Go to the emergency room if your foot is bruised, deformed, or you are unable to walk at all. You may have a fracture, broken bone or serious ligament damage.

Can you walk on a hairline fracture?

Many people continue their regular day-to-day schedules with a stress fracture because the pain isn't unbearable like it is with other fractures. For instance, a hairline fracture in your foot may cause difficulty walking, but not so much so that it alerts you to see Dr. Scheffel.

What does a torn ligament in ankle feel like?

If you have torn your ankle ligament, symptoms include: Swelling around your ankle joint. A feeling of instability. Bruising – sometimes up your lower leg and into your foot.

What is a Grade 2 ankle sprain?

A Grade 2 sprain results in partial tearing of the ligament or ligaments. This commonly leads to moderate swelling and bruising above and below the ankle joint.

What is the difference between a rolled ankle and a sprained ankle?

A sprained ankle is similar to a twisted ankle but to a greater degree. When you sprain your ankle, it means you have stretched, and possibly even torn, the ligaments of your ankle. If your ankle is swollen, bruised and painful after you twist it, then you have most likely sprained it.

Why does my sprained ankle hurt at night?

Intense pain can be a result of torn ligaments that link the bones together. Some patients even experience nighttime ankle pain, which can come from bruising and swelling. Existing medical conditions, such as peripheral neuropathy, can possibly be a factor in developing ankle pain at night.

Can you wiggle your toes with a broken foot?

Can you move a broken toe? “If you can still move it then it's not broken.” – False. This is another harmful old wives' tale. Although it may be possible to move and walk on your broken toe, you should avoid doing so as this can lead to even greater damage and prolonged healing time.

Does a broken ankle bruise?

A person may see bruising around the ankle joint, although not immediately. The bruising can track down toward the sole of the foot or toward the toes. In severe fractures, there may be obvious deformities of bones around the ankle. Skin may be stretched over an underlying broken bone.

How long should you stay off a sprained foot?

Rest your foot.

Limit movement in your sprained foot for the first 2 to 3 days. You might need crutches to take weight off your injured foot as it heals.