Oh, our fragile bodies!
By mentalward
@mentalward (14690)
United States
March 9, 2013 10:38am CST
Here I am, happily doing my day-to-day chores [insert sarcastic sounds here] when I hear a "SNAP!" coming from my ankle. I heard and felt it. Not your ordinary old-age creaks and moans that normally come from our bodies, nope, this was a sound that I KNEW wasn't good. I looked at that ankle and noticed a rather large bump growing just below the outside ankle bone, that one that pokes out. It HURT! Felt like I had just banged it and now I'm developing a nasty bruise, but this was a little different.
That was last night. This morning, first thing I did was look at my ankle to see if the swelling had gone down. Nope. No worse but no better. So, I got up and started for the bathroom to, well, you know, do my normal morning regime there. I stepped on that foot and it felt okay BUT as soon as I swung my other foot out in front of that one, pain hit and it hit HARD!
Here's the thing: about 35 years ago, I had what the doctor called a "clicking tendon" in that ankle. The tendon was misplaced and was sliding back and forth over my ankle bone with every step, causing pain and a very loud cracking sound. So, it was operated on. THAT surgery screwed my foot up so bad I couldn't put my heel on the ground for a year. So, the doctor operated again and fixed his boo-boo (no charge, of course, he was scared poopless that I'd sue him).
The problem I'm having is, do I head for the emergency room or do I wait for Monday and TRY to see an orthpedic surgeon? The rather large lump right under my ankle bone has not diminished at all and the pain is worse now than it was last night. I have no doubt that this is tendon-related and, after smashing my finger (the middle one, of course) in my car door a couple of years ago and developing what they call "mallet finger" with the very end of my finger drooping downward forever, I know that tendons do not heal themselves.
I can barely walk on this ankle right now. I'm afraid to maybe cause more damage by walking on it but I cannot go the entire weekend without doing my usual chores. What would you do in a case like this? Wait until Monday and hope you could see an orthopedic doctor right away or head for the ER? (I do have insurance to cover the visit, no matter which I choose.)
6 people like this
18 responses
@mentalward (14690)
• United States
9 Mar 13
Hi artemeis. You are probably right. My husband can take me to the hospital but I'll have to wake him up first. He is always the laziest person on Earth on Saturdays unless there is an emergency. I call him "the Snoring He-Beast." 
Anyway, yes, I've been leaning that way because, if this is what I think it is, I could be causing more damage by trying to walk on it. At least, if I go to the hospital, they may give me something to stabilize this foot (even if it is just a pair of crutches) so the tendon is not being moved and causing more damage, at least until I can be scheduled for surgery to fix it.
Thank you for your input. It's helping me to make that decision. 
Anyway, yes, I've been leaning that way because, if this is what I think it is, I could be causing more damage by trying to walk on it. At least, if I go to the hospital, they may give me something to stabilize this foot (even if it is just a pair of crutches) so the tendon is not being moved and causing more damage, at least until I can be scheduled for surgery to fix it.
Thank you for your input. It's helping me to make that decision. 1 person likes this
@artemeis (4194)
• China
10 Mar 13
I see that you had visited the hospital and that you might have severely injured your ankle tendon. I hope that you will rest that leg of yours by confining yourself to the bed. It is about time you relinquish your reigns on your domestic empire and let "Snoring He-Beast" take over.
In the meantime, something from TCM (traditional Chinese Medicine), that you should avoid eating poultry and eggs from now to aid a faster recovery. TCM believes that these food are inflammatory to such injuries.
@RitterSport (2451)
• Lippstadt, Germany
10 Mar 13
oh no you poor one. I would go to the doctor as soon as I can rather to the ER first and then to the orthopedic surgeon on Monday to make sure what they did in the ER was the right thing to do.......
Hope the pain is going away and you are better with your walking now cause how will you get to the ER or doctor.......
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
10 Mar 13
mentalward just get ir repaired at once as if a ruptured tendon is let go for weeks some surgeons will refuse to operate and then you are doomed
to wear a brace and heavy shoe on that foot,its just not worth the risk, i wish my quack doctor had sent me to the orthopedic surgeon to start out with.he'd told me it could have been repaired if I had come to him a month earlier or more.Oh I have got used to the brace but why take chances just get it repaired and go on with your normal life.
to wear a brace and heavy shoe on that foot,its just not worth the risk, i wish my quack doctor had sent me to the orthopedic surgeon to start out with.he'd told me it could have been repaired if I had come to him a month earlier or more.Oh I have got used to the brace but why take chances just get it repaired and go on with your normal life.1 person likes this
@celticeagle (166761)
• Boise, Idaho
9 Mar 13
How fun for you. Not!! I would soak it continually in Epsons Salts(hopefully you have some or someone can get you some from the nearest pharmacy) and wait for Monday if at all possible. The ER will give you some meds for pain and tell you to see a OS on Monday. And going to the ER means being on your foot more.
@mentalward (14690)
• United States
10 Mar 13
You know, it's funny that they never mentioned Epsom salt at the hospital. They told me to put ice on it but I can definitely see where the Epsom salt would help. I'll send someone out to pick some up for me tomorrow.
I did go to the ER. The pain and stinging were getting worse. They x-rayed it and told me that there were no broken bones but I do have a sprain with possible tendon damage. I'm now in a splint with crutches and I have to call an orthopedic surgeon on Monday. The splint is helping a lot with the pain since it doesn't hurt too badly when it's not moving.
I actually wasn't on my foot much at all going to the hospital. They saw me coming as soon as I got out of my husband's truck and brought me a wheelchair. I left on crutches so I didn't use that foot much at all.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (166761)
• Boise, Idaho
10 Mar 13
They have certain protocols and stuff they have to say. I always go the natural remedies and less trauma on the body the better. Epson salts are great! Glad you were seen and know what is going on now. Sounds like they took good care of ya. Think of everything that has calcium and Vitamin D in it and eat alot of it. It will help you heal. Good better.
@jenny1015 (13366)
• Philippines
10 Mar 13
If I were you, I'd go to the ER and have an xray on that ankle so that doctors will be able to know how to manage the lump and pain. Don't hesitate! You could barely walk and that should cause you to be alarmed.
1 person likes this
@missjahn (4574)
• Philippines
10 Mar 13
i understand your pain. because i had been gone with that kind of accident but much worst than yours. mine really was that i got my left upper arm broken or fractured. i was been bedridden for more than a half year.
with you situation, do not be too pushy or moving always to one place to another. liniment would be helpful for this but do not apply hard massage. it might worst the situation more. do not wet your affected foot and sulk in the water, this may cause gas pain and might swell your ankle more. really, do you need to wait for monday to get medications. maybe you can apply or there are some persons out there who can give some first aid.
please take care of yourself then
1 person likes this
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
9 Mar 13
I would think that maybe you should go have it looked at. I would not want to damage it any further.
@mentalward (14690)
• United States
10 Mar 13
I went, mostly because I was thinking the same thing about maybe causing more damage. They x-rayed it and said that I don't have any broken bones but I do have a sprain and possible tendon damage so I need to see an orthopedic surgeon next week. I have a splint on it now and have to use crutches until it stops hurting if it turns out to just be a sprain.
@GardenGerty (160626)
• United States
9 Mar 13
Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation and the ER. Our friend Hatley here had an issue that was not treated soon enough and she has suffered ever since. She may have already responded to this discussion, since I have not looked to see. At the very least the ER might wrap it or give you an air splint for it to hold it in place.
@GardenGerty (160626)
• United States
10 Mar 13
I am impressed with your cool splint. . . pun intended. I am glad you went and got some medical attention.
@mentalward (14690)
• United States
10 Mar 13
Thanks, 1corner. I'm glad I went. I hadn't thought about the possibility of a broken bone but the way they were talking at the hospital, that really was a possibility. Thankfully, I don't have any broken bones. I do have a sprain and possible tendon damage so they splinted it and told me to see an orthopedic surgeon next week.
@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
13 Mar 13
I'd go to the emergency room, which is what I hope you did.
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
9 Mar 13
do they have any urgent care clinics in your area? sometimes thats better then waiting in the emergency room. a little faster. plus have you thought of calling the nurse? usually they have a nurse line on your insurance card. but i may be wrong and others here are likely right. maybe you should just go to the emergency room
@mentalward (14690)
• United States
10 Mar 13
If there is an urgent care clinic, I haven't seen it. Maybe I should have checked but the hospital is just down the road.
I went there and they x-rayed it. They said there are no broken bones but I didn't think there were, although they were all saying that it was a possibility to break a bone if it's twisted just right (or wrong). So, it's sprained with possible tendon damage and I have to see an orthopedic surgeon next week. I'll know more then. I HOPE it's just a sprain! Spring is right around the corner and I'm itching to get outside to start my early Spring veggies.
@marguicha (222855)
• Chile
9 Mar 13
Please, dear, do run to an emergency room! We are no doctors and neither are you. We can only hope that it is an easy and mild problem, but it is best seen by a doctor. He will tell you what to do next. And forget the chores. None are worth your pain!
Take care!
Take care!@mentalward (14690)
• United States
10 Mar 13
Thank you, maguicha. I went to the hospital. I'm glad I did because they all were talking about the possibility of a broken bone! I hadn't even thought it might be a bone. Luckily, there are no bones broken. They x-rayed my foot and said that I definitely have a sprain with possible tendon damage. They couldn't tell without a CT scan so they told me to see an orthopedic surgeon next week. He will order a CT scan if he thinks that I have a torn tendon.
Right now, they've splinted my foot and gave me crutches. I'm to stay off the foot as much as possible at least until I see the surgeon and put ice on it. You're right about the chores, they can wait. My son has volunteered to do all he can to help me around the house. I think I raised him right.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
3 Apr 13
While I do realize that this is something that happened to you some time ago, I will go ahead and jump in here and give you a little bit of advice for the future. In a situation like this, you should go ahead and go to the emergency room. The first reason for this is that your condition can get much worse by not getting immediate medical attention. In addition to that, you should also go sooner rather than later because some insurance companies will not cover an emergency like this if you fail to visit a doctor within 72 hours after the accident occurred.
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
9 Mar 13
Mental ward I wouldn't wait. The ER will check it out and maybe splint it and maybe then you Vulcan go to the orthopedist. Hope you feel better soon.
@mentalward (14690)
• United States
10 Mar 13
Thanks, PQ. I went. I hadn't thought that there might be a broken bone but the way the nurses and doctors were talking, that was a possibility, even just walking. Fortunately, there is no broken bone, just a sprain and possible tendon damage. I have to see an orthopedic surgeon next week and, in the meantime, they've splinted my foot, gave me crutches and told me to stay off of it as much as possible.
They gave me a really cool splint, too. It has a removable part that you can put in the freezer and freeze, then put it back on the splint so it's being iced with the splint on. Awesome invention! lol
I'm not happy at all about the crutches but I'll do as I'm told so I don't cause any further damage. If this HAD to happen, I'm glad it did now before it warms up enough outside to start gardening.
1 person likes this
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
10 Mar 13
I'm so glad you went Mentalward. I'm also happy to hear there is no fracture. Please keep us updated.
@KrauseHome (36448)
• United States
13 Mar 13
I know it has been a couple of days since you started this discussion here, and I hope things are going a little better for you. Personally in a situation like this, I would think your best situation here would be going to the ER ans get this looked at, and get something for the pain. You can still schedule your other appointment if you want. Just hope you took care of yourself first before it could become something worse-
@singout (980)
• United States
11 Mar 13
Hi mentalward. Its been a while. I would visit your family doctor as soon as possible and get him/her to recommend a good orthopaedist. I'm sorry you are having so much trouble and I know what you are going through. I had something similar happen to me only with my back. My consulting an orthopaedist turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made. My very best wishes to you.
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
10 Mar 13
oh gosh Mentalward been there done that had the same snap , a ruptured tendon that must bee repaired in days not weeks or months. and the quack doctor I had did nothing so it changed my life forever. He diagnosed sprained ankle not ruptured tendon it was let go so finally I got sent to an orthopedic doctor.too late he told me it was a ruptured tendon and now he could not operate on it and put it right.So I was put into ugly clunky orthopedic shoes with built in brace so I could walk with out walking on the inside of my foot. Get to an orthopedic doctor and have it repaired while it's repairable as if you wait too long you Will end up in a brace. this also left my left foot misshapen.
So really do not wait but see he specialist and have him repair it while its possible to do so.goo luck and God bless.
ck and God bless.