“Should I see a doctor about this?”
It happened 3 days ago, I was working and had a sharp pain in my ankle. The next 3 days my foot is bruised and swollen, with a knot on it.
Male | 63 years old
Complaint duration: 4 days
8 Answers
EmergencyMedicineDoctor
Thank you for your question.
A sharp pain in the ankle followed by bruising, swelling, and a noticeable knot could indicate a serious injury like a sprain, ligament tear, or even a fracture.
Because of the swelling, bruising, and the presence of a knot, its important to see a doctor promptly. They may recommend imaging like an Xray to rule out a fracture and guide proper treatment.
In the meantime, you can follow the RICE method
Rest the ankle
Ice to reduce swelling
Compression with a bandage
Elevation to keep the ankle above heart level
Do not put weight on the foot until evaluated, especially if walking is painful.
If you notice increasing pain, numbness, or difficulty moving your foot, seek emergency care.
Please see a healthcare professional soon to get the right diagnosis and treatment.
A sharp pain in the ankle followed by bruising, swelling, and a noticeable knot could indicate a serious injury like a sprain, ligament tear, or even a fracture.
Because of the swelling, bruising, and the presence of a knot, its important to see a doctor promptly. They may recommend imaging like an Xray to rule out a fracture and guide proper treatment.
In the meantime, you can follow the RICE method
Rest the ankle
Ice to reduce swelling
Compression with a bandage
Elevation to keep the ankle above heart level
Do not put weight on the foot until evaluated, especially if walking is painful.
If you notice increasing pain, numbness, or difficulty moving your foot, seek emergency care.
Please see a healthcare professional soon to get the right diagnosis and treatment.
I would recommend an x-ray and a clinical exam with that amount of bruising and pain. Call the Foot, Ankle & Leg Specialists at South Florida Institute of Sports Medicine. We accept same-day appointments, provide x-ray, ultrasound, and fracture care, and will advise you on the best course of action - for less than the cost of an urgent care or emergency room visit.
This looks like a severe ankle sprain from the image you provided. The bruising indicates you did quite some damage there! It could be a fracture of the foot/ankle so I would recommend getting that checked out before putting any weight on it.
Ice, elevate, stay off it and if still back in a week see a doctor
This can happen if you are taking blood thinners for other conditions. But if the foot turned that color without any contusion or injury, you need to have the problem checked ASAP
I recommend you make an appointment with a foot and ankle surgeon (podiatrist) for diagnosis and treatment options
Yes, I encourage you to go see a healthcare provider for at least an x-ray. With bruising and swelling length added severally suggestive of either a bone or soft tissue injury that may require immobilization or professional treatment
See an orthopedic surgeon
