oldnavy170
Enthusiast
Reged: 05/12/03
Posts: 256
Loc: New York
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Ok, I was wondering if it is possible to have a small fracture in your leg even if you can still walk on it.
Yesterday I was messing around with my boyfriend and I tried to give him a horsy back ride and I couldn't hold his weight and I fell into the couch so hard that I hit my leg on the metal bar in the couch.
It swelled up instantly and its bruised and swollen and it hurts. I can however walk on it so I'm not sure if I should go see the doctor if its just bruised.
So my question is can you still have a broken bone and walk too?
I told you that this was a silly question!!!!!
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oldnavy170
Enthusiast
Reged: 05/12/03
Posts: 256
Loc: New York
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I also wanted to mention that I am a pain patient and thats why I am on this board. I just thought that you might think that I don't have any pain because of the silly thing I did. I only use *pain medication* a few months out of the year. Thats when my neck pain from 2 car accidents flairs up. (Yes, I guess I am accident prone....  )
Thought I would clear that up now. Thanks.
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yawkaw3
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 03/22/03
Posts: 1004
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Yes, it is still possible- it totally depends on the fracture.
You should get some medical attention. Without being able to see it, we can't tell.
It may be a very insignificant fracture, a fracture normally swells up and looks bruised pretty quickly- you should get it looked at.
-yawkaw
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apkjezebel
Journeyman
Reged: 03/01/04
Posts: 71
Loc: Florida
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I fractured my ankle one time, fell off a car, long story, lol. I was in a walking cast, only used it for 2 days then just walked on my foot with out it. But i would also have to say go get it looked at just to make sure. Take care.
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"I promised myself somewhere in teenage life Id never submit to the ones I will not be like Live in a hole But stay close to my kind Cause they understand what burns in my mind ~Pantera~ " Lisa
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want2bcalm
Stranger
Reged: 04/03/04
Posts: 17
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It could even be a hairline fracture if it doesn't really show up on the xray. I've had one in my foot & gad, sooo painful. Could also be a bone bruise. Yes, you can walk on breaks but of course w/pain!
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BriarRoseCO
Journeyman
Reged: 02/10/04
Posts: 77
Loc: Foothills of the Rockies (for ...
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OldNavy, I used to work for an Orthopedic Surgeon....
And YES it is very possible to have a fracture and still be able to walk or use whatever body part you've injured. I've seen people come in with hand "injuries" or ankle injuries such as slamming it in the car door or something of that sort, then have x-rays taken, and the bones are broken in several spots... patient didn't even know it.
And the post about the hairline fracture is right on the money. The only way to diagnose a fracture of that sort would be to have an MRI done(usually with contrast material). That way the dye that they inject into the area of the injury (that is what "contrast material" is, just in case you didn't know) would settle into the crack and it would show up quite vividly on an MRI.
If you're experiencing a lot of swelling or pain, I would have it checked out. You never know what could be going on in there. And if you don't, and it heals incorrectly... you might be looking at surgery later on in life to correct what could have been fixed easily with a cast. Sometimes these "self healed" fractures lead to arthritis or loss of feeling much later on in life. Don't mean to scare you... but it's just a fact.
 Hope I've helped a little bit. PM me if you have any other questions or need any other suggestions.
~~Briar
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sigmund22
Journeyman
Reged: 03/23/04
Posts: 79
Loc: Vienna
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oldnavy,
No question is "silly" on this board when it comes to injuries. As a former long-distance runner, I experienced many falls and saw former team members with ugly injuries. Yes, it is possible to walk, run or do a triathalon with a fracture. The usual mode of treatment for those who won't stop for medical tx is what is known as R.I.C.E. - rest, ice, compression and elevation -
when possible. If the swelling doesn't diminish, definitely see a doctor.
Since you sound more sensible than the people to whom I referred above it might be a good idea to go the conservative route as Yawkaw and BriarRCO mention and have it checked out by a doc. It might ease your mind as well 
Take good care.
sigmund22
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"If A equals success, then the formula is A = X + Y + Z. X is work. Y is play. Z is keep your mouth shut." Albert Einstein
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timwethers
Stranger
Reged: 01/07/04
Posts: 2
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Football players have played Superbowls with broken legs. All depends on the tolerance of the patient, how bad the break is, and how much medication you have in you.
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lmay769
Stranger
Reged: 03/14/04
Posts: 21
Loc: Chicago
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Hi Old Navy,
I can relate to your "accident prone-ness". I was walking along minding my own business when my foot slipped off the 'edge' of the sidewalk, about an inch or two, and it started hurting a short time later. It was on a weekend so I was hesistant to go to the ER but after 24 hours I couldn't take it any longer. They did the standard x-rays said I had no break and sent me on my way. I set up a follow up with the ortho they had recommended. He looked at the x-rays and said the same thing however I was still in a great deal of pain so I made to an appointment with a different ortho that my PCP recommended. They did additional x-rays and found two fractures that had been overlooked. (By this time I had been walking on a broken foot for over a week.) I was in a walking cast for approximately 5 weeks and I still experiance pain occasionally and it has been three years. So I would suggest seeing someone to rule out any breaks and save yourself from future problems. Good luck.
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mermaid72000
Member
Reged: 01/19/04
Posts: 108
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2 days ago i shut my truck door and reshut it because it was not totally locked and i heard a large popping noise in my ribcage and i am thinking ok did i just break a rib. i can breathe ok but it really hurts and i have never had a broken rib before so i think it is possible to have a fracture and function. i have never heard a large cracking popping noise in that area so if it gets worse i guess i am headed for the er. i highly doubt er would do alot for me since i dont have med insurance and i think they just tape you up and send ya home. i am not in severe pain at all so i will try to ride it out.
hope you are feeling better
carol
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starchild
Newbie
Reged: 03/02/04
Posts: 31
Loc: Northeast
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It might be a cracked rib, we went sledding once and went
over a bump and my sister fell on top of me, not too hard, but I guess hard enough.
Turned out it was 2 cracked ribs.. DIdnt hurt to breathe either, but it did suck cuase it hurt sooo bad.
Took forever to get better too..
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"All who wander are not lost" - J.R. Tolkien
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oldnavy170
Enthusiast
Reged: 05/12/03
Posts: 256
Loc: New York
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Thanks everyone. I just felt really silly about how the whole thing happened too.
I think I'll call my doctor tomorrow. I just got health insurance this week so its nice to know I can go see him if needed.
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BriarRoseCO
Journeyman
Reged: 02/10/04
Posts: 77
Loc: Foothills of the Rockies (for ...
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Mermaid... I hate to tell you this... and hopefully someone can prove me wrong. But I don't think there's a whole heck of a lot they can do for a cracked rib. Other than give you some decent pain medication to take while it's healing. They might wrap up your mid section real tight... maybe. But if the rib is definitely cracked, it's not like they can put it in a cast. LOL So, you're thinking the right way... if it continues to hurt you really bad, go to the ER, (you'll probably wait about 4 hours to be seen ~ unless you're in a rural area with a hospital that isn't all that crowded. Which is my hope for you!! ) but at least you'll have x-rays taken and they can prescribe you something for the pain until the rib begins to heal.
If anyone else out there knows more about cracking a rib. Please chime in. I'm interested to know if there IS anything they can do for it other than wrapping you up real tight and medicating you.
Thanks,
~~Briar
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debbrad
Journeyman
Reged: 11/06/03
Posts: 75
Loc: Texas, USA
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Oh, OH , Oh,
I hope you went to the doc today. I broke my tib-fib on my right leg almost three years ago. I had surgeries to place screws and plates, then they removed them because a screw was peircing my tendon. Six months latter while I had been walking, actually limping on it, the doc did an mri and found a severe break in something called the horn of the ankle that they never saw before. So a year after the inital break, they found a really bad problem in a tiny little place. That took 2 bone grafts and a tendon graft.
Moral to the story: If it bothers you be seen until someone finds out what's wrong. And get an MRI.
Peace and less Pain,
Deb 
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mermaid72000
Member
Reged: 01/19/04
Posts: 108
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just yesterday i was hired as a foodserver, and could i pick a more physically demanding job? lol!! well i survived and i feel ok today. thanks for the reply
take care
carol
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BriarRoseCO
Journeyman
Reged: 02/10/04
Posts: 77
Loc: Foothills of the Rockies (for ...
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Good deal. What do you guys serve? I'm starving!!!!!!
LOL
~~Briar
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keystone
Old Hand
Reged: 09/05/02
Posts: 492
Loc: Arizona, USA
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...I don't know, but I could go for a vanilla ice-cram Dove bar w/ dark chocolate....mmmmmmm....chocolate
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The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was to convince the world he never existed.
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BriarRoseCO
Journeyman
Reged: 02/10/04
Posts: 77
Loc: Foothills of the Rockies (for ...
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Stop it man............
You're making me drool and I'm going to ruin my keyboard.
LMAO
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2muchpain
Enthusiast
Reged: 10/07/03
Posts: 271
Loc: USA
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mmmmmmm......doughnuts......
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mrscoach
Journeyman
Reged: 07/29/02
Posts: 72
Loc: OR Go Ducks!
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Alright, since my husband is a football coach, I can't believe no one has said this (in jest) yet:
"Walk it off."
I'm kidding, of course. But if you knew how often I've heard that (labor, surgery, etc.)..
Let us know how your visit with the doc goes!
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"I'm not tense - just terribly, terribly alert."
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oldnavy170
Enthusiast
Reged: 05/12/03
Posts: 256
Loc: New York
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Thanks everyone. I was going to go to the doctor but by the time Monday ran around it started to feel better. Its still sore to the touch but I am walking on it ok. I really thought that I broke something but now I am starting to think otherwise. Good thing for me because I don't have time to be in a cast.
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