What can be mistaken for a sprained ankle?
What can be mistaken for a sprained ankle?
A broken ankle can often be mistaken for a sprain, even with an X-ray, due to the complex structure of tissue, muscle, and ligaments concealing the bone. If not properly treated, an ankle break can lead to further pain, damage to the ankle joint, and impede mobility.
Can a sprained ankle be misdiagnosed?
Ankle sprains may be one of the most common injuries, but they’re also commonly misdiagnosed. That’s because the two major types of sprained ankles—high ankle sprains and lateral ankle sprains—often look the same, even though they affect entirely different ligaments.
Can a sprained ankle heal improperly?
Instability of the ankle joint: Sometimes an ankle sprain can heal incorrectly, leaving your ligaments permanently stretched. This will, in turn, cause your ankle to be weak and instable, frequently resulting in abnormal movement.
Can a sprain heal wrong?
With any injury — even a minor one — you stand the risk of long-term complications if you don’t treat it properly. A sprained ankle can turn into a serious chronic instability if left untreated. When you leave torn ligaments to heal on their own, they can fuse together haphazardly and form weak, inflexible scar tissue.
How can you tell if a sprain is getting worse?
If the sprain is more serious, you may feel a tearing sensation when the ankle is injured and hear a pop or snap. You may also notice: Bruising. Inability to move the joint (usually due to swelling)
Will my ankle ever look the same after a sprain?
Once they are stretched out, they will never return to their original shapes. We are left with an ankle that is less stable, especially in the direction that the sprain occurred. To add fuel to the fire, the sprained ligaments lose the ability to efficiently communicate with your brain.
How do you know if it’s a sprain or a fracture?
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.
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.
