Broken??
 

So, my nephew (who has Cerebral Palsy) got a bit mean one night. I had to restrain him because if not he would of went crazy. Anyway in the process of holding him he stomped down on my ankle/foot and now I can hardly walk on it and i'm in a fair amount of pain to. He's 9 years old, hes small for his age but still around 65-70lbs. Could I broken it? fractured? I really dont want to go to the hospital because I'm without insurance right now. And I was just wondering what you all thought.

Can you flex your toes?

Yes. That's why i don't really think it's broken.. But fractured is a real possibility. My brother fractured his foot awhile back and was able to walk and even play baseball on it. I think it was a hairline fracture but they still put him in a cast.

When I broke my ankle it was swollen and black & blue the day after.

It is very much swollen, I can hardly walk on it without pain shooting though my ankle, and there is a faint bruise where it hurts. I only just noticed the bruise might have been darker before.

Based on what you've said, it could go either way. Obviously the best choice right now would be to verify whether it is broken via medical attention, but I understand financial barriers to doing so, particularly in an ER.

Do you have any urgent care clinics in your area? Often they can do an evaluation and an x-ray, but costs end up being an average of 1/3 to 1/2 the cost in an emergency room.

If that's not an option, know that you are taking a risk - in answer to your question, it absolutely could be a fracture. It might not be, but there is certainly a chance that it is. If you do decide not to get it evaluated, standard injury care/RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) may make it feel better.

Amanda's right -- you are taking a risk if you don't get it xrayed. I broke my foot & ankle; but at the time, they thought it was just sprained so I suffered with severe pain and my ankle locking for years & years. It really needed surgery, but in the end, it finally healed enuff that the pain & locking subsided -- but it took a very, very long time.

I second the RICE advise and see how it goes if you're worried about bills. How possible is it for you to relax off it for a couple of days and see if seems to ease?

I'm interested in the perceived difference in a break and fracture? I'm not sure if it's a British English v American English thing, but to me they mean the same?

Have you been taking painkillers? Something with an anti inflammatory should work well if it's swollen.

I hope it's not a break, and heals soon :)

Well it was better today not nearly as painful as it had been.

It's an old injury. I had sprained it quite bad back in high school and now whenever something happens it becomes very painful. I had forgotten about that until my mom brought it up today.