Do I need an x-ray after I injured my ankle?
You may have heard about the traditional steps such as rest, ice, compress and elevate (RICE). However, we highly recommend following the updated PEACE and LOVE acronym as a guide (see below).
It may be shocking news, but rest and ice have shown to be counterproductive unless the injury is severe! Instead, you should be progressively putting weight through the injured leg where tolerated.
Well, now that you know the steps to take (no pun intended)…what is actually going on around your ankle? Why do some people go for an X-ray and should you be doing so??
To begin, the purpose of X-rays are to rule out any potential fractures in the area of injury. Fractures need to be managed differently from regular ankle sprains. An X-ray is only required when a fracture is suspected. Hence, it is not necessary for every ankle sprain patient to do an X-ray.
How would you know if you are among the small group who needs an X-ray?
Thankfully, the Ottawa Ankle Rule is a very handy guide to answer this question.
Just answer the following two questions!
- Are you able to take at least 4 steps without support?
- Is there any pain when you press the following bony areas?
Diagram of the RIGHT ankle: viewed from the outside and inside of the foot
Picture of the RIGHT ankle: viewed from the outside and inside of the foot, depicting the Ottawa Ankle Rule
If you have answered *YES* to any of the above questions, you should get an X-ray to check for a fracture._
If you have answered *NO* to both questions, an X-ray is not required.
There you go! A simple party trivia for your smart-alec friends!
On a more serious note, if you experience any ankle pain or are suffering from an injury, do come in to speak to our Physiotherapists, who will be able to better assess and treat you accordingly! If your Physiotherapist thinks there is a need for you to do an X-ray, he/she will be able to refer you to a doctor to do so as well.
Book now or give us a call to schedule an appointment to see our Physiotherapist who will be able to partner you to recovery as we address your ankle pain!
Ref:
Bachmann, L. M., Kolb, E., Koller, M. T., Steurer, J., & ter Riet, G. (2003). Accuracy of Ottawa ankle rules to exclude fractures of the ankle and mid-foot: systematic review. Bmj, 326(7386), 417.
Collins, N. C. (2008). Is ice right? Does cryotherapy improve outcome for acute soft tissue injury?. Emergency Medicine Journal, 25(2), 65-68.
Dubois, B., & Esculier, J. F. (2020). Soft-tissue injuries simply need PEACE and LOVE.
Filed under: Ankle
