Is it true that broken bones are less likely to swell than minor sprains?
I was shoveling our foot of fresh snow today when my ankle rolled. I heard several pops when it happened. We went to urgent care and took x-rays, but I have broken this same ankle several times and the doctor couldn't tell if the fracture on the x-ray was new or old and has to have a radiologist read the x-ray, sometime tomorrow, so for now, they're treating it like it's broken. My husband is suprised by the lack of sweeling and told me that's indicative of it being broken and not just sprained. Is this true? He is a big science geek and did say when he broke his leg it didn't swell,which is how he knew it was broken. Anyone have experience with this?
The mom2008-01-27T18:41:23Z
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Yes, I work in the ER and I've seen plenty of both cases. Actually, the amount of swelling is usually related to the amount of soft tissue that is damaged. So if you have a clean fracture that isn't displaced, you may not have much swelling. On the other hand, if you had an open or displaced fracture, you have a lot more tissue damaged and thus more swelling. Most fractures do swell a little, which is why you have to be careful fitting the cast. As far as the doctor you saw not being able to tell a fresh fracture from an old one, that's not looking too good for the doctor. A fresh fracture is a nice clear line, an old one is calcified and is a dark line. He's relying on the radiologist because obviously reading x-rays isn't his forte. They treat it like a fracture because it covers them against a malpractice suit, and until they can be sure it's not broken, it's the safest way to go. Ankles are actually usually hard to fracture, and they are much easier to actuall severely sprain/strain. As a rule, a fracture of one of the bones of the ankle isn't much different in terms of pain or swelling, it still comes down to the total amount of soft tissue injured. Yours could involve just tendons or cartilage, and that might not swell much, but it sure could hurt like a woolybooger. Meantime, you still have to keep it up and not bear weight on the leg. It takes about the same amount of time to heal either way, sprained or fractured. And you can end up needing a cast for either one. Just wait for the radiologist, hopefully he can tell the difference.
RE: Is it true that broken bones are less likely to swell than minor sprains? I was shoveling our foot of fresh snow today when my ankle rolled. I heard several pops when it happened. We went to urgent care and took x-rays, but I have broken this same ankle several times and the doctor couldn't tell if the fracture on the x-ray was new or old and has to have a...
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Sounds to me like you've broken the proximal phalange of the middle finger. Basically, you've broken the bottom bone of the finger. However, there is also a very good chance that you might have pulled the joint out of alignment, and the swelling is simply the fluid. In which case you need to see an Accident & Emergency doctor to drain the fluid. However, still go to the A&E (ER) because the doctors there are trained to deal with these types of injuries.
ok well i just turned fourteen and i know all about this stuff.....ok well i have had to go to PT physical therapy 5 different time for 3 months each time. i have sprained my ankle numerous times and fractured my ankle 2 times and had surgery on my ligaments twice. and yess i personally say that spraining hurts worse! definately....i know all about it...i sprained my ankle in track in 6th grade and knew right away that i hurt it pretty bad, on the drive home,(we traveled to a diff. state) it was throbbing and throbbing, but when i fractured it, it would hurt after i got done with a long day or after soccer practice but i didnt think i fractured it, 3 months later i found out i had been playing on a fractured leg and i had bone bruising up my leg. OUCH but that is the truth, my ankle was really swollen like a cankle when it was sprained but when it was fractured it was semi swollen... YEE be WARNED about casts...they suck dont get one even if the doctors tell you you need one lol JK hope your ankle heals bc mine hasnt and people call me crippled at school and i got voted MOST ACCIDENT PRONE at school :/