Injuring your foot or ankle, hand or wrist is so common that it’s been reported that about 25,000 people sprain an ankle every day, says The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. Once injured, there’s always that inevitable next question: “is this a sprain or is it broken?’ Here’s the difference… A broken (fractured) bone is usually accompanied by numbness, and/or there’s difficulty moving the injured part, or the injured part moves in an unnatural way. Also, if the area looks swollen and crooked, that could be a sign that you have broken a bone. So, if you suspect a broken bone: • Make sure that the injured person is not moved without emergency assistance. However, if you need to move the injured person, apply splints around the hurt limb to prevent further injury. Splints can be made by using boards, a stack of newspapers, cardboard, or anything firm, and can be padded with pillows, shirts, towels, or anything soft. Splints must be long enough to extend beyond the joints above and below the fracture. • Place cold packs or a bag of ice wrapped in cloth on the injured area. A sprain is when the ligaments that connect the bones, are overstretched and partially torn. There may be bruises around the injured area. And, although extremely painful, you are still able to put weight on the area. However, in the case of a very severe sprain, treatment including a brace, crutches, or even physical therapy can be required. If there is a suspected sprain: • Make sure to get an X-ray since only an x-ray can determine whether a bone is broken or it is sprained. • Treatment includes Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation (known as RICE). • Do not apply heat in any form for at least 24 hours. Heat increases swelling and pain.
