Summer’s here! We’re often more active now and spending time in the great outdoors. We’re hiking, biking and walking. Kids are running and jumping with friends or attending sports camps. Unfortunately, Summer is also a time when we start to see more ankle injuries. The good news is that Martin Foot and Ankle now offers same day appointments to meet any of your foot care needs!
Is my ankle sprained… or broken?
At Martin Foot and Ankle, our podiatrists are experts at diagnosing and treating ankle injuries.
With any ankle injury the one common factor is usually immediate pain. A sprained ankle involves the straining or tearing of the ligaments that support the ankle joint. Some ankle sprains are worse than others. The severity depends on whether the ligament is simply stretched, partially or completely torn, and on how many ligaments are injured. If the sprain isn’t treated properly you could develop decreased range of motion, persistent pain, or ankle instability.
When you experience any ankle pain, if you can, stop what you’re doing and inspect the joint for signs of a sprain. First, check for swelling. The area around the joint usually begins to swell up shortly after the injury occurs. Your skin may feel warm to the touch or even look red from the rush of blood to the area. Look for bruises as well. You may still be able to put weight on the ankle and walk around, though it will probably be uncomfortable to do so.
If the pain is too severe to stand, don’t try! The worst thing you can do is to try to push through the pain and ignore what your body is telling you, as that may lead to long-term ankle joint complications and arthritis. Instead, schedule a same day appointment with Martin Foot and Ankle.
An ankle fracture is when the ankle bones are actually broken, ranging from small stress fractures to large, displaced breaks. The injury can happen when your ankle is subjected to a stronger force than your bones can absorb. The strain causes one or more of the bones to crack. The injury also causes swelling and bruising around the break. The affected spot will be tender to the touch and possibly bent oddly or deformed in some way.
Immediately following the injury, you can cautiously try to bear weight on the joint. If there is no pain with walking, a broken ankle is unlikely. But if you cannot stand on the ankle, you need immediate care.
If you’ve broken your ankle, our podiatrists at Martin Foot and Ankle will need to examine it carefully to identify the exact location of the injury and determine its severity. Tell us if your foot turned in, out, up, down or rotated. We may need X-rays or other diagnostic images to get a clearer picture of your foot bones. Once we understand your injury, we can help you treat it.
Most of the time, an ankle fracture is easy to manage, especially if it’s treated right away. Immobilizing the joint in a cast allows the bone tissue to knit itself back together so that broken pieces are reunified. If the break goes untreated, however, and the bone doesn’t heal correctly, you can end up with some severe fracture complications that create ongoing pain and weakness.
Let us help!
Ankle injuries are painful problems that can significantly hamper your mobility. Even if you have a mild injury that still allows you to walk, you need to have it properly treated to prevent chronic complications. Let our foot podiatry team at Martin Foot and Ankle in Hanover, Lancaster, Lititz, York and West York know if you’re concerned you may have an ankle injury. Call any of our offices at (717) 757-3537 or (844) 899-6961 or use our website contact form to schedule a same day appointment.
