Symptoms
Immediately after a trauma that has led to a sprain in the foot, pain usually occurs. Although this is triggered particularly by movement of the foot and when stepping on the floor, it often persists even when at rest. Usually, within minutes after the sprain, a swelling occurs due to an injury to surrounding blood vessels and consequent bleeding under the skin. In addition, bruising (haematoma) often occurs a few hours after the trauma for the same reason, making the sprained area appear bluish.Since the ligaments are still intact in the case of a sprained ankle joint and thus still perform their stabilizing function at least partially, it is at least theoretically still possible to perform the movements typical for the joint, which, in contrast, would be only partially or not at all possible in the case of a torn ligament or broken bone. In the case of a sprained foot, however, movement can still be restricted, but this is due to the pain associated with it.
Diagnosis
Since a sprain of the foot, i.e. the stretching of the stabilizing ligamentous apparatus, causes similar symptoms to a torn ligament, a doctor should be consulted in order to be able to initiate an adequate therapy quickly in the case of a torn ligament or other concomitant injuries that have a worse prognosis if left untreated. The doctor first asks about the exact symptoms and the course of the accident during the anamnesis consultation, which often already provides information about the injured structures. For example, the accident mechanism of supination trauma is typical for an injury to the outer ligament (ligamentum talofibulare anterius).
This is followed by an examination of the foot, during which typical symptoms such as swelling and bruising are examined. The physician also checks whether a pressure pain can be triggered over the affected area. Specific ligament tests are used to determine whether the foot is abnormally mobile, which is more likely to indicate a torn ligament or even a broken bone. In order to rule out these mentioned injuries, an X-ray of the foot and ankle joint is often taken. In rare cases, other imaging measures such as an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) or a CT (computed tomography) are necessary to exclude further accompanying injuries of bone or cartilage.
