That way, you can avoid further injury to your ankle and speed up the healing process. Surgery is also needed if you have severe pain and swelling and dont improve with nonsurgical treatment after 3 months. This third question helps determine the severity of your injury based on the symptoms present around the injured area (e.g., swelling, discoloration, bruising). The first step to treating a broken ankle is to reduce the pain. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Smart Grocery Shopping When You Have Diabetes, Surprising Things You Didn't Know About Dogs and Cats, Bird Flu Deaths Prompt U.S. to Test Vaccine in Poultry, COVID Treatment in Development Appears Promising, Marriage May Help Keep Your Blood Sugar in Check, Getting Outdoors Might Help You Take Fewer Meds, New Book: Take Control of Your Heart Disease Risk, MINOCA: The Heart Attack You Didnt See Coming, Health News and Information, Delivered to Your Inbox, Mark McGwire, First Base for the St. Louis Cardinals, Strains, Sprains and Other Sports Injuries: 3 Questions. Yes, my wrist has turned red and swollen. This happens when you damage the ligaments in your ankle. Use it to try out great new products and services nationwide without paying full pricewine, food delivery, clothing and more. There are, however, signs that will help you be able to tell the difference. The pain is caused by damage to one or more of the ligaments in the ankle due to stretching or tearing. English recommends:Rest from activities that aggravate pain.Ice for 15-20 minutes at a time to help alleviate pain. You can do this multiple time a day. Compression in the form of an ACE wrap or a sleeve. Elevate the affected ankle above your heart throughout the day as often as possible to help minimize swelling. About ankle fractures, To help figure out what the injury might be, ask yourself a few questions: If youre still not sure, see your doctor. 5 Ways to Tell, Using an athletic brace or crutches if advised, Over-the-counter anti-inflammatories for pain relief. While swelling is a symptom of both injuries, if your ankle looks clearly off, its 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. Where is the pain? @import url('https://trymequiz.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-viral-quiz-gr/resources/icons/fa/css/font-awesome.min.css'); If you suffer an ankle injury, its important to know whether your ankle has been fractured or sprained. You may have heard that its a good idea to wear a boot or a brace after a sprain, but its more important to keep the ankle elevated. All rights reserved. On the other hand, you might observe redness, numbness, stiffness, etc or you might even not. It includes signs including little soreness and ligament injury. Every single second counts when it comes to an ankle injury!!! You may take anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve). A sprain means that a ligament is torn or stretched beyond its limits. Accessed Feb. 9, 2020. Broken Toe: Whats the Difference? @import url('https://trymequiz.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-viral-quiz-gr/resources/css/skins/buzzfeed/style.css'); The best way to tell if your foot is broken on your own is to assess the level of pain you're experiencing. Use your doctors supportand make sure to be extra gentle. Icing a broken ankle helps reduce swelling and pain. Does It Really, Got Ulcerative Colitis? He has over 17 years of podiatric experience and specializes in minimally invasive foot and ankle surgery. If you need surgery, it may take anywhere from 12 weeks to 2 years to regain full function of your ankle. Anti-inflammatory medications will reduce pain and swelling. Most of the time, the doctor will be able to position it correctly without surgery. Experience the Deliciousness of Salt Melon. Most sprains will clear up on their own. FULLERTON. If you have a clean break that doesnt require surgery, you can usually fully heal within 6 to 8 weeks. This first question helps narrow down whether you might have suffered a sprain or something more serious, like a fracture. For a grade 2 sprain, it takes 4 to 6 weeks, and for a grade 3 takes 6 to 12 weeks. In this article, we will explore some tips for keeping your ankles healthy. Recognizing the Symptoms of a Broken Foot, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/b\/b5\/Tell-if-a-Foot-Is-Broken-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Tell-if-a-Foot-Is-Broken-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/b\/b5\/Tell-if-a-Foot-Is-Broken-Step-1.jpg\/aid7207739-v4-728px-Tell-if-a-Foot-Is-Broken-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"