Ankle Injury

[cristina1]

Zachary came home from school today telling us all about his kickball game in gym and how he made a fantastic slide, hurting his ankle in the process to win the game. He then ran outside and rode his bike, chased his friends and played on the swingset.

After dinner, he started walking with a limp and complaining. I figured he was exaggerating after all he did that day. His ankle is quite swollen - he has a ball sitcking out the side the size of a baseball. I researched on the internet and they suggested the RICE treatment - rest, ice, compress and elevation. We iced it, and I wrapped it in an ace bandage and put his foot up on a pillow. It was still quite swollen when he went to bed.

I feel like a terrible mother now for ignoring his story after school, but he didnt act like anything was wrong and although he did mention how much it hurt, I thought he was exaggerating because of how he was running and jumping around.

If he has a sprain, how long should he stay off it? Anyone else deal with a sprained ankle before? We're going to take him to the doctor if the swelling is still this bad tomorrow. If it isn't swollen in the morning, should we just have him rest it for the weekend?

[pippadaisy[$]]

Don't stress about it. I'd take him in just to make sure nothing is torn, but with young kids, their bones are so green that breaks don't show up on an x-ray right away. My gf had that happen with her son and I had it happen with Beanie taking them right in.

[cristina1]

I'm going to take him in the morning. I never heard that about young kids' bones, but then again, I don't know any young kids who have broken a bone.

He's ticked at me because I told him that he can't play his little league game tomorrow.

[pippadaisy[$]]

Honestly, I didn't know it either, but I remember taking Beanie to the dr. when she broke her leg and them explaining to me that yes, it was broken, but no, ma'am, you can't see the break.

I figured it was just babies, but my gf had the same thing happen to her son a couple of months ago, and he'll be 8 this year. It's something about them growing and the bone density, but she took him on a Friday evening to the afterhours clinic and they told her it wasn't broken. Well, a more experienced radiologist read the x-ray on Monday and had her bring him RIGHT BACK, because yes, it is broken. She picked him up at school and he was doing one-armed push-ups on the arm (he has a wicked high pain tolerance to begin with).

[cristina1]

Ughh! I was thinking that it can't be broken with all the activity he did on it, until you said that. And I should know better - when I broke my arm I still had full motion and was able to use it.

[pippadaisy[$]]

Sorry! Didn't mean to freak you out. It's probably just a sprain. But keep us posted.

[cristina1]

I'm waiting for him to wake up to see how it looks this morning. I should probably grab a shower while I'm waiting.

[lynnzop[$]]

Uh...Jer broke his arm and was carrying around his fully-loaded backpack with that arm. The break was high and not "hairline" but pretty thin, but he needed a sling for several weeks. The bones will heal back to the point where you can't even see they've been broken (I know, because it's the same side where he broke his collar bone last year!) but they need to be immobilized.

I'd take him in and have the doc look at it just to be sure. You don't know if he sprained it, popped a ligament or broke something...and it will save pain and time if you know for sure.

Let us know how he's doing...I hope he feels better soon!!!

[cristina1]

He broke it. He fractured his growth plate in his ankle. He has it wrapped now and is on crutches (trying hard to get the hang of them) and Monday needs to see an orthopedic. Poor kid - he is going to miss most (if not all) the little league season this year. It's his favorite time of the year.

[emeleel]

Awww, poor kid! Hope it heals quickly!

[pippadaisy[$]]

Oh no! I kinda had a feeling the way you described it but I was hoping I was wrong.

Poor little guy!

[cristina1]

Devon now also has a "broken ankle." He wrapped up his foot with an ace bandage and is hopping around the house yelling he wants "crunches" to use.

[Prepoia[$]]

What a bummer! I was hoping for the best but it's really hard to know without going to the doctor first. One year, the first day of summer vacation, my son and daughter were wrestling around on the ground outside (we were all sitting outside on the grass enjoying summer's freedom) and she landed on his thumb. Yep, broken and in a cast all through swimming season.

I am glad though, that you took him because it's so hard to tell and growth plates are so important.

Sandy

[thinkerlady[$]]

So sorry Cristina. What a bummer to be on crutches this time of year. But, as the others have said, glad you took him in to be evaluated.

[lynnzop[$]]

Oh bummer. I know the feeling....Jer broke his arm the first week of April and last year broke the collarbone on May 13. It's a crummy time of year to have to be laid up!

Is he going to need a cast?

[cristina1]

They said at the hopital that he will get a permanent cast when he visits the orthopedic. I have to call them Monday to schedule an appointment.

This afternoon we went to the ballpark complex and watched Zack's team play their first game. Well, most of it - then he wanted to go home. He's sitting on the couch now munching on chips and play-shooting people with his crutches.

[hadassahchana[$]]

{{{Tina}}}

I'm glad you got it looked at, but what rotten luck for him. I hope he's feeling better.

[cristina1]

I'm glad we got it looked at, too. I'll tell ya though - I never expected it to be broken. I figured that they would tell me it's a bad bruise and go home and ice it.

[cristina1]

BTW, thanks for the comments and good wishes. He is feeling quite loved today with everyone fussing over him.

[frazzledspice]

Poor little guy. And you're going on that nice vacation, too.

I broke my ankle ten years ago. They usually keep a soft cast on until the swelling goes down (otherwise the hard cast wouldn't fit well enough when the swelling went down.) He'll have a much faster recovery than I did, probably, but it will take several weeks after the cast is off before he's back to normal.

Is the break more serious because it is on the growth plate?

During the baseball season, can he be an unofficial "manager" and help keep the stats, etc?

[cristina1]

We're back from the vacation - had a great time. (I'll have to post some pics at some point, but we came back and jumped right into the swing of things.)

He'll get involved in the team one way or another. I'm sure they'll let him do something important. And there are a lot of his game times that coincide with his brother's teeball, so we can pop back and forth between the fields. (They both play in the same complex.) I believe pictures are next weekend - should make for interesting pics to say the least.

I need to talk to the orthopedic about how serious the break it, but I guess it takes careful monitoring to make sure it heals. I need to make an appointment Monday for that.

And waiting for the swelling to go down makes sense to me. Now, if only I can get him to rest it - the kid doesnt want to sit.

[theworm[$]]

Oh No! I'm sorry, Tina. Just getting to this thread now. Poor Zachary. Sounds like he's doing ok, but it must be hard for him. And how awful that Devon developed a break, too!