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If you injure your ankle, it can be difficult to identify the exact type of injury. Both serious sprains and broken bones can cause pain, swollen feet, bruising, and mobility issues. Knowing what's wrong with your ankle will help you decide how to treat it and whether to see a foot specialist at your local podiatry office. Below, learn how to tell these issues apart.

Broken Ankle

When your ankle is broken, one of the bones, either the tibia, fibula, or talus, has one or more cracks in it. These can be small hairline fractures, or the bone can snap completely. Depending on the severity of the break, you might hear a popping noise when it happens, and you may be able to see that the ankle is misshapen or bent in the wrong direction. More subtle signs are problems moving the ankle, inability to bear weight on it, and severe pain that may get worse or persist over time instead of getting better. If your ankle is broken, you should go to a podiatry office to have the bone set correctly so that it heals well.

Sprained Ankle

Podiatry OfficeA sprained ankle involves damage to the tendons rather than the ligaments. While these tissues are designed to stretch, twisting your ankle too far or sharply can bruise and tear them. When this happens, you'll usually still be able to walk, and the pain is unlikely to be severe. You can treat most sprains at home with rest, ice, compression, and elevation, but if the pain doesn't go away or seems to get worse, visit a podiatry office to make sure everything is healing correctly.

 

To make an appointment to have your ankle examined, call Podiatry Associates of Rochester. Serving Monroe County, NY, the team of three doctors at this welcoming podiatry office covers services from ingrown toenail treatment to surgery. Visit them online for more information or call (585) 342-8700 to speak to a representative.

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