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Grade 3 ankle sprain

Discussion in 'Ask your questions here' started by Unregistered, Sep 13, 2008.

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  1. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest


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    why is it that someone who experiences a G.3 or severe ankle sprain will expierence little pain.
     
  2. FootDoc

    FootDoc New Member

    That would not be a likely scenario unless one has either a sensory deficit or a world class pain tolerance.
     
  3. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    It happened to me a couple of weeks ago and it was extremely painful, i think you got that one wrong
     
  4. FootDoc

    FootDoc New Member

    Are you opining that the original poster did NOT have a grade 3 sprain or that he/she is mistaken and DID have severe pain? I think the former more likely.
     
  5. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    after falling down a flight of stairs i went to the er and was given an aircast and crutches and told to stay off the ankle for 1 week. it has been 2 1/2 weeks and still can't bear any weight. the ankle is still very painful with any movement is is still swollen. is there something else i should be doing for my ankle? the aircast doesnt seem to be doing anything
     
  6. FootDoc

    FootDoc New Member

    DISCLAIMER:
    THE FOLLOWING IS OFFERED GRATIS AS GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY, AND, AS SUCH, MAY NOT BE APPLICABLE TO THE SPECIFIC QUESTIONER AND/OR HIS/HER PROBLEM. IT IS CLEARLY NOT BASED ON ACTUAL KNOWLEDGE AND/OR EXAMINATION OF THE QUESTIONER OR HIS/HER MEDICAL HISTORY, AND IT CAN NOT AND SHOULD NOT BE RELIED UPON AS DEFINITIVE MEDICAL OPINION OR ADVICE. ONLY THROUGH HANDS- ON PHYSICAL CONTACT WITH THE ACTUAL PATIENT CAN ACCURATE MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS BE ESTABLISHED AND SPECIFIC ADVICE BE GIVEN. NO DOCTOR/PATIENT RELATIONSHIP IS CREATED OR ESTABLISHED OR MAY BE INFERRED. THE QUESTIONER AND/OR READER IS INSTRUCTED TO CONSULT HIS OR HER OWN DOCTOR BEFORE PROCEEDING WITH ANY SUGGESTIONS CONTAINED HEREIN, AND TO ACT ONLY UPON HIS/HER OWN DOCTOR’S ORDERS AND RECOMMENDATIONS. BY THE READING OF MY POSTING WHICH FOLLOWS, THE READER STIPULATES AND CONFIRMS THAT HE/SHE FULLY UNDERSTANDS THIS DISCLAIMER AND HOLDS HARMLESS THIS WRITER. IF THIS IS NOT FULLY AGREEABLE TO YOU, THE READER, AND/OR YOU HAVE NOT ATTAINED THE AGE OF 18 YEARS, YOU HEREBY ARE ADMONISHED TO READ NO FURTHER.
    ***********************************************************
    You have posted your question under the topic of Grade 3 Ankle Sprain, which is the most severe category of such an injury. The treatment advised, especially without referring you for followup, would seem to indicate that it was likely not diagnosed as such. Depending on their severity, sprains of the ankle can be anything from merely a temporary nuisance to a life-changing permanent injury. The appropriate measures which should have been taken immediately are generally, rest, elevation and controlled and judicious use of ice and compression. An accurate assessment of the damage inflicted and its severity is essential in determining both its treatment and prognosis. Most ER's are not manned (or womaned) by doctors equipped to make anything but cursory judgments of such injuries, and I would recommend that, if not already done, either an orthopedist or a podiatrist skilled in ankle injuries be consulted as soon as possible for a response to your issues.
     
    Last edited: Feb 5, 2009
  7. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    i was told it was a severe sprain in the er. i did f/u with a orthopedist on monday who said to continue using crutches and an aircast and scheduled an mri for early next week(sorry i didnt include that). but i'm still wondering if an aircast is sufficient support.i feel like even when walking on crutches my ankle can move around. if i do have a grade 3 sprain how long is it typically before i will be able to bear weight, and are there other treatments besides crutches and aircast that should be used?
     
  8. FootDoc

    FootDoc New Member

    DISCLAIMER:
    THE FOLLOWING IS OFFERED GRATIS AS GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY, AND, AS SUCH, MAY NOT BE APPLICABLE TO THE SPECIFIC QUESTIONER AND/OR HIS/HER PROBLEM. IT IS CLEARLY NOT BASED ON ACTUAL KNOWLEDGE AND/OR EXAMINATION OF THE QUESTIONER OR HIS/HER MEDICAL HISTORY, AND IT CAN NOT AND SHOULD NOT BE RELIED UPON AS DEFINITIVE MEDICAL OPINION OR ADVICE. ONLY THROUGH HANDS- ON PHYSICAL CONTACT WITH THE ACTUAL PATIENT CAN ACCURATE MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS BE ESTABLISHED AND SPECIFIC ADVICE BE GIVEN. NO DOCTOR/PATIENT RELATIONSHIP IS CREATED OR ESTABLISHED OR MAY BE INFERRED. THE QUESTIONER AND/OR READER IS INSTRUCTED TO CONSULT HIS OR HER OWN DOCTOR BEFORE PROCEEDING WITH ANY SUGGESTIONS CONTAINED HEREIN, AND TO ACT ONLY UPON HIS/HER OWN DOCTOR’S ORDERS AND RECOMMENDATIONS. BY THE READING OF MY POSTING WHICH FOLLOWS, THE READER STIPULATES AND CONFIRMS THAT HE/SHE FULLY UNDERSTANDS THIS DISCLAIMER AND HOLDS HARMLESS THIS WRITER. IF THIS IS NOT FULLY AGREEABLE TO YOU, THE READER, AND/OR YOU HAVE NOT ATTAINED THE AGE OF 18 YEARS, YOU HEREBY ARE ADMONISHED TO READ NO FURTHER.
    ***********************************************************
    Please understand that I can only offer you general information which may or more likely may NOT specifically relate your individual case, and should in no way be taken as something on which you might rely to the point of acting on it. As you are under the care of an orthopedist, it would be foolish of you to not direct your question to him/her and instead rely on anything I might offer without full knowledge of your situation.

    But in general, I can offer again that an accurate hands-on assessment and classification of an ankle sprain is essential to any meaningful discussion of treatment and prognosis. A severe sprain, in my view, might be thought of either as a considerable Grade II or a Grade III injury. A grade II sprain involves damage to and perhaps partial tearing of one or more ligaments of the ankle joint, generally causing a good deal of pain and swelling, but with essential maintenance of joint stability. A grade III ankle sprain generally involves the complete tearing of the ligament or ligaments with resulting pain and swell and generally some loss of joint stability. Although difficult to assess initially without an anesthetic block due to pain and swelling, the drawer and talar tilt tests and stress x-rays are often useful in determining joint stability or lack thereof. It would be irresponsible of me, with such limited knowledge of your injury condition, to attempt to advise you when you might bear weight. That must be determined by the attending doctor. I assume your orthopedist made an appropriate assessment as to whether surgical intervention is required, as that is generally best performed within a very short time of the injury when it is indicated. The real long-term question in any Grade III sprain, if that's what you have, is what sort of ankle instability is likely to result, and what needs to be done now to mitigate and limit it as well as possible. You should be aware that when ligaments are torn, unless they are adequately surgically repaired, and even sometimes if they are, that their function will always be compromised to some degree, and that one may well be pre-disposed to future sprains. When chronic joint instability occurs, various procedures, often involving re-routing of tendons to provide the necessary stabilization may be entertained. But most of this is well beyond where you are today. Timely physical therapy, as determined by the attending, is often an essential aspect of rehabilitation after most severe ankle sprains.

    I have attempted to provide a general and cursory review of some of the aspects of treatment of ankle sprains. Again I caution you that they are not intended to be necessarily applicable to your individual case and that you should receive definitive information upon which you will act only from your own doctor.
     
    Last edited: Feb 5, 2009
  9. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    I would just like to point out, that on most of the websites i have visited. Looking up about my sprained ankle, such as Bupa etc. they have said that the Grade Three sprain would feel pain when the immediately did it, put would experience pain afterwards.

    I can vouch for that as i was told by the hospital that i had severely sprained my ankle, and it doesn't seem to be that painful.
     
  10. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    I just experienced a grade 3 ankle sprain, and out of all my injuries it was hands down the most painful. I had a tear in my rotator cuff that was 5 1/2 cm,dislocated my knee 9 times and tore several (3 of the 4) muscles in my hamstring due to my SI joints being out. The ankle sprain was nearly unbearable. I don't think you have a grade 3 ankle sprain. I also went to the ER and they said the pain of a severe ankle sprain is one of the worst pains out there.
     
  11. softball<3

    softball<3 Guest

    im 16 and ,i have a complete tear and a partial tear of my ligiments in my ankle, i had an MRI to conferm. i did it while playing softball rolling my ankle over a base. i sat out for an inning and them went back in to pitch it felt weird. thats when i went to go get my MRI. i feel no pain at all unless i lean back on it. i can also walk on it. doc told me it was a grade 3 ankle sprain. so i know how u feel with the whole no pain thing.
     
  12. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    I've had ankle problems my entire 24 yr life. But lately my Right Ankle just seems so weak. Almost daily it gives out on me and I end up spraining/rolling it and at that poit it is very, very painful. But, once I sit down and relax I don't feel it anymore unless I try the same old ankle exercises of movements. Could this be a Grade 3 ankle sprain or am i just being dumb?
     
  13. FootDoc

    FootDoc New Member

    A Grade III ankle sprain is an acute traumatic event which would be etched in your memory. If you don't remember such an injury, my guess is that you either have dementia or you never had one.
     
  14. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    If you indeed have a third degree ankle sprain (a complete tearing of the ligaments) then you have nerve damage. At first it hurts a lot but the pain subsides after several hours. The pain returns after about 10 days.

    I had a third degree sprain three sprain three weeks ago. It was extremely painful for the first several hours followed by little pain for the next ten days along with numbness, tingling and instability. The pain has returned though.
     
  15. FootDoc

    FootDoc New Member

    Although frequently accused of otherwise, I really have no problem with former sufferers of a particular condition relating their own personal experiences. But I DO have a problem with such posters relating their anecdotes with suggestions that their experiences are necessarily typical and that they represent a meaningful response to the specific questions of others. The poster here clearly offered a personal experience which has no particular bearing on what another patient is likely to experience, and as such, commentary such as that should be taken with a grain of salt, as a hundred different sufferers would likely have almost as many different experiences. On the other hand, a doctor who has treated many, many such cases can draw from his/her experience and relate as to what the nominal course is likely to be, though even that is but an educated guess when predicting the course of any individual situation.
     
    Last edited: May 19, 2010
  16. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    Last Saturday I fell down a few steps and landed on the outer part of my right foot and it went "in". I heard a snap and immediately thought I broke my ankle. the swelling appeared on the outer/upper part of my foot just below the joint bone. I went directly to the ER and was told that I have a "clean" break of the fibula (just a chip), but there was no mention about a sprain. I'm waiting on a deferral appt with an OS. The pain went away after the first day and I've only felt a few tinges here and there. I've kept off it, elevated and iced it. I'm single in a two story condo with a dog...so it's very frustrating. My work has been amazing and is letting me work from home.

    Anyway, I've done so much research on the internet and believe I may have experienced a grade 3 sprain since I heard a snap and the discoloring of the foot. The swelling has gone down immensly though. I'm curious what the OS will say. I pray there will be no surgery involved but I'm really worried about the tendons.
     
  17. FootDoc

    FootDoc New Member

    Although sitting at my computer, I certainly can't tell you if you suffered a sprain and if so what grade, but grading cannot be done by the criteria you've mentioned. An adequate examination in the ER should have determined what if any collateral damage occurred. Research on the Internet may be good for general information but is a poor substitute for a good examination by a skilled doctor.
     
  18. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    Foot Doc, I agree about the internet searching, but it is comforting to go on the internet and see that there are others out there who have suffered/experienced the same thing. I think that's what it does mostly.

    I'm definitely waiting on the OS's diagnosis. I was told today by TRICARE that my referral was put in as urgent and I should hear something by tomorrow or Friday.

    My main concern is the long term ramifications of this injury. I'm very active (not in sports) but in general, workouts, light weight lifting and then things like hiking and walking. I hear horror stories of how people have suffered long after their injuries. So I'm just praying that I did not do anything so damaging as for that to happen.

    It was just nice to find this msg board and it's nice that you are here just to quell people's fears and give some general advice.

    Thanks!
     
  19. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    I rolled my ankle three weeks ago the ortho serg said it was a gr 3 sprain he casted me. since then my foot has continued to swell and ache as a result the fiberglass cast was removed and an air cast has been place on my leg. The swelling still persists is this normal?? The pain seems to be worst up and down my calf now this is driving me crazy. I have had approx 20 x-rays to the ankle and no brake has been found. Just wondering if it will ever get better
     
  20. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    I had a grade 3 sprain. Tears to ATFL, CFL, Deltoid, AITFL, PITFL, talo-navicular(?) etc, avulsion fracture, tendon damage & bone bruising.

    AT first the pain was immense - from half way up my leg to my toes. I couldnt move any of my leg for 10mins or so, then it started to go numb & was numb for a while longer.

    SO technically you can have a grade 3 sprain and not experience any pain - but maybe only just for a small period of time. Because the pain comes back with a vengence!
     
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