Sprain or Fracture: How to Tell the Difference?

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Sprain or Fracture How to Tell the Difference
Physiobodyandsole.com.au
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• When you get an injury on the foot, initially it
  may be difficult to figure out if it is a sprain
  or fracture. A sprain is actually the damage of
  the ligaments of the foot. On the other hand,
  fracture happens when there is a break in any one
  or more of the 26 bones in the foot.
• It is important to know the difference between
  sprains or a fracture as a totally different
  treatment protocol is used in both of these. If a
  person fails to receive proper medical
  intervention in time, then the patient may have
  to face long-term foot problems. This situation
  may result in limited functional abilities,
  especially for a sportsperson whose body is
  placed under heavy stress in the course of
  different activities.

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• The following signs can help you to differentiate
  between a sprained or a broken foot
• Did a sound occur at the time of the accident or
  injury? A sound of tearing or popping may
  signal a sprain whereas a cracking sound may
  indicate a fracture.
• Are you able to apply weight on the foot after
  the injury? If you are having excruciating pain
  in the affected area whenever you try to apply
  some weight on it later, then it is a sign of a
  fracture.
• After an ankle sprain, swelling is not unusual,
  but if it occurs with distortion of the normal
  shape of the foot, then it may mean that the bone
  has a breakage or fracture.

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• A fracture is also indicated by the numbness in
  the affected area.
• Are you able to move the foot joints without much
  pain? Try to wiggle your toes and if there is no
  moment possible, then a fracture has occurred.
• Is there any specific area of the foot that is
  severely painful and very sensitive to touch?
  This is another indication of fracture.

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• How to confirm fractures?
• X-rays are conducted to either to diagnose or
  exclude a fracture. However, there are chances
  that even x-ray might miss a breakage under
  certain circumstances. Depending on the area of
  the breakage, x-ray may show normal results, even
  when symptoms and other diagnostic methods
  strongly suggest a fracture.
• A bone scan may provide a better and more
  accurate diagnosis, since x-rays may not show up
  breakage sometimes.

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• When a breakage in the bone is confirmed, then an
  MRI scan or CT scan can be done to figure out the
  extent of the damage. X-rays fail to show or
  diagnose any damage that may occur to the
  cartilage, tendons and ligaments. Therefore these
  scans can provide a better picture of the
  condition or damage in the soft tissue.
• If the doctor diagnoses a fracture in the bone,
  then surgery or immobilization may be the next
  step taken by the doctor to address the injury.
  If any breakage in the bone has not occurred and
  a sprain is diagnosed, then the best treatment
  can be provided by a foot and ankle Physio.

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