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 does a sprain hurt 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.

How do you tell if ankle is broken or sprained?

While swelling is a symptom of both injuries, if your ankle looks clearly “off,” it's most likely because a bone is broken. Does your ankle feel numb? With a sprain, you feel pain. But if you have numbness or tingling, your ankle is most likely broken.

Why is a sprained ankle worse than a broken ankle?

Higher grade injuries can result in chronic joint instability and pain which may require surgical repair. A fracture is an injury to a bone when the tissue of the bone is broken. Many fractures will as strong as it was originally therefore, higher grade sprains can be worse than a fracture.

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.

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.

Should I go to ER for ankle injury?

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.

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.

Can you move a broken ankle?

But how do you know if your ankle is broken (fractured) or just sprained? Common folklore says that if you can move it, it isn't broken, but that is not always the case. A broken ankle can be a combination of injuries to your bones and ligaments (the connectors between bones).

Are sprains painful?

Sprained ligaments often swell rapidly and are painful. Generally, the greater the pain and swelling, the more severe the injury is. For most minor sprains, you probably can start initial injury treatment yourself.

Do you hear a snap when you sprain your ankle?

A “popping” sound is very common to hear at the moment when you sprains your ankle. A “cracking” noise means it's most likely a fractured bone. Swelling can be normal for this type of injury, but if your ankle appears deformed or crooked at the same time, it's most likely a fracture.

Did I just sprained my ankle?

Pain, especially when you bear weight on the affected foot. Tenderness when you touch the ankle. Swelling. Bruising.

Can you bear weight on a broken ankle?

When you experience an ankle fracture, it could feel similar to an ankle sprain. In fact, sometimes you are even able to weight bear with limited discomfort. A more serious ankle fracture often result in the inability to bear weight and can necessitate surgery.

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.

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 is a Grade 3 ankle sprain?

Grade 3: This is a full tear of the ankle ligament. You may have heard a popping sound when it happened. This level of sprain causes severe pain, swelling and bruising. Because the ligament is no longer able to do its job, your ankle will feel unstable and will be unable to support any of your weight.

Does a broken ankle 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.

What is a Grade 2 ankle sprain?

Grade 2: A more severe sprain, but incomplete tear with moderate pain, swelling and bruising. Although it feels somewhat stable, the damaged areas are tender to the touch and walking is painful.

Can you walk on a sprained ankle after 2 days?

A grade 1 sprain causes little damage to the ligaments, and although the ankle will be tender for a few days, you can walk on it after a short period of rest. At grade 2 sprain, there is some tearing of the tissues and a longer recovery time of up to 4 weeks.

When should I get my ankle checked?

Can I call out of work for a sprained ankle?

A lot of people struggle with the idea of taking time off work for a simple ankle injury and unless your job has a high physical demand for moving, lifting, climbing, and so on you should actually be alright to go in as soon as your doctor has confirmed that there are no fractures or major tears in your tendons that ...

How do I know if I need an xray on my ankle?

Excessive swelling or bruising is a common occurrence after an ankle sprain, but this alone does not warrant an X-ray or immediate medical attention. Numbness, tingling, severe pain, or any other concerning complaint requires more immediate evaluation.

How do you sleep with a sprained ankle?

Elevating a sprained ankle reduces the accumulation of fluid in the joint. This can ease swelling, which may also help reduce pain. Try sleeping with the foot and ankle propped up on pillows at a level higher than the heart. When sitting or resting, use pillows or a footrest to keep the foot and ankle elevated.

Why does my broken ankle hurt more at night?

This is what happens during the day. During the night, there is a drop in the stress hormone cortisol which has an anti-inflammatory response. There is less inflammation, less healing, so the damage to bone due to the above conditions accelerates in the night, with pain as the side-effect.

Does a broken ankle need a cast?

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