Solitary chicken - need advice

[Sunshine]

I hurt my foot a week and a half ago from slipping when i went over a stile. I couldn't putany pressure on it for 2 day and then i was able to hobble whilst putting pressure on one side of my foot. Then i thought it was getting better as i was able to walk on it with no pain just discomfort. However now its starting to hurt again.

 

Dad says i should leave it and its started to hurt again because i started to walk on it properley so its telling me that i still can't put full pressure on it.

 

So i jut wondering what you would do. I'm in two minds as i think it would be a good idea to get it checked out just so i know its nothing serious, but i'm not sure where to go(doctors or A&E) or whether i just leave it because i can walk on it but i just hobble and its uncomfortable.

 

Thank you

 

Emma

[The Dogmother]

Sorry to hear about that Emma, but is it's still painful, then I'd definitely go and get it looked at. In the meantime, jugging down the Arnica pillules will help with any swelling and bruising.

[Janty]

I'd get it checked. We had a lad at school who broke a bone in his foot during a football game, carried on playing, came to school next day and then found it too painful to carry on and only then went to A&E.

[Redwing]

I personally wouldn't go to A&E unless my head was falling off however some hospitals do have minor injury clinics which help if you can't wait to see a doctor but it isn't a big enough problem for A&E - that would be my first port of call or perhaps try a walk in NHS centre.

 

Sounds painful - good luck

[A chickychickychick-ENN!!]

Go to see your local doctor. It may be badly sprained or it may be slightly fractured. A doctor will be best placed to advise you of which or whether you need an x-ray.

 

In the meantime, the treatment for sprains (and it won't do any harm if you have a fracture) is RICE - rest, ice, compression and elevation:

 

http://sportsmedicine.about.com/cs/rehab/a/rice.htm

 

And use a hip-high walking stick or crutch to help if you absolutely must hobble. It takes the strain off a bit.

 

Anna x

[Cinnamon]

What a timely thread!

 

I am just back from a mammoth shopping trip with my sister who is on crutches after falling off her heels in New York 4 weeks ago. She has severe ligament damage,her foot is swollen & briused still, & she can not work for at least another 2 weeks (she is a nurse,so on her feet a lot)

Its very painful, as was mine a few years ago when I did something similar,turning my trick ankle stepping out of the back door. Even turning over in bed was agony.

 

Get it looked at agin - I bet you have torn a ligament or something

[Olly]

Definitely get it checked out, I have known people walk around with a broken leg 'because I can still wiggle my toes, it can't be broken' (WRONG!)

 

Doctors might be quicker, but on the other hand A&E will x-ray it straight away - either way, I think if it's still hurting and you can't put your weight on it, you should get it looked at.

 

I tore a ligament last year, just by falling down one step, and it was extremely painful; it can actually hurt more than a break, I'm told. It's well worth getting some physiotherapy early on, as it will heal more quickly if you have some treatment.

[..lay a little egg for me]

...or perhaps try a walk in NHS centre.

 

Should that be a 'limp-in' centre?

 

I advise the GP first if you can get an early appointment as no wait and if it is not broken you won't have to queue for hours. If your GP is one of those "we can fit you in next week" types go for A&E or the hobble-in centre.

[Sunshine]

Thank you for all your replies they are very useful.

 

I'm going to ring up the doctors in the morning as they have the system of ring up in the morning to get an appointment for that day. I can walk on it but i hobble which makes me think its not serious but i may as well get it checked out so i know i'm not doing any damage by putting pressure on it.

[The Dogmother]

Good luck Sunshine and let us know how you get on.

 

I once limped around on a broken ankle for a week after the A&E mis-read their xrays (I do have a high pain threshold ). I went to my lovely osteopath as I wasn't happy - he diagnosed a fracture and phoned the consultant in A&E.

 

I often have sporting injuries, and would rather go to see the osteopath than the GP TBH.

[chelsea]

I fell over twice in Aug/Sept and badly damaged my ligaments. After the 1st fall I just visited my local doctor who confirmed a sprain and advised rest, elevation and take ibruprofen for the pain.

 

The 2nd fall did much more damage (I actually thought I'd broken it) and went straight to A & E and had an xray, they confirmed the ligament damage. It took me several weeks for me to get back on my feet and it still isnt right now.

 

The doctor in the hospital remarked that he had a chap walk in with 2 broken ankles :(and he didnt even know he had broken them!)

 

If you feel that something isnt right or its extremely painful I would definitely recommend having it xrayed.

 

Let us know how you get on, and take care and rest as it will be a slow recovery.

[cathybc]

hello there

not sure where you are in Cheshire but Altrincham hospital has a minor injuries clinic - I am mega clumsy and always managing to hurt my feet, my GP can never tell whether it is broken or not but when I went to Altrincham they were brill. Because it is not A&E you don't feel you are wasting their time, and as they see that sort of thing all the time, they are more experienced at telling whether it is a break, sprain, etc. And they can x-ray you too if necessary !

[Tiggy]

the walk in centers are good for looking at injuries like yours, they can get it xrayed pretty quickly if they feel your foot needs it. A&E could be very busy and you could be waiting for hours. Your GP is likely to be bogged down by folks with this nasty flu & D&V bug but you may be able to see the nurse practitioner there fairly quickly. Good advice from the other posts about ice & rest & pain relief