Broken or bruised?

I fell off a 12’ boulder today onto my left heel. I missed the crash pad and it hurt so bad i almost passed out. Fast forward an hour or so later, my heel is swollen like a sausage and is hurting whenever i put weight on it. Any ideas?

An x-ray will answer that pretty quickly. Hoping for the best outcome.

Grant Cohen wrote: I fell off a 12’ boulder today onto my left heel. I missed the crash pad and it hurt so bad i almost passed out. Fast forward an hour or so later, my heel is swollen like a sausage and is hurting whenever i put weight on it. Any ideas?

An idea? Go to an emergency room or an Urgent Care. People on the Internet can't diagnose it.

FrankPS wrote:

An idea? Go to an emergency room or an Urgent Care. People on the Internet can't diagnose it.

I’m figuring out next steps as in whether i should go to ortho or just the ER. 

ER

You need X-rays. Urgent care is often cheaper than ER, and faster.

They will do the Xrays, splint/air boot the foot, if needed, and will tell you to follow up with your dr and/or ortho.

Let me warn you that it can be easy to miss a broken heel bone on a plain X-ray unless you are pretty experienced.
Ask about Bohler’s angle. If they don’t know what you are talking about, make sure the film gets read by a radiologist or an orthopod.

Mark E Dixon wrote: Let me warn you that it can be easy to miss a broken heel bone on a plain X-ray unless you are pretty experienced.
Ask about Bohler’s angle. If they don’t know what you are talking about, make sure the film gets read by a radiologist or an orthopod.

"orthopod" - Is this an invertebrate that (ironically) specializes in orthopedics?  Or an orthopedist that only treats injuries to the exoskeleton?

OP - this might be helpful: mountainproject.com/forum/t…
There are also several older bruised or broken heel posts on MP
I took a lead fall onto a ledge three weeks ago today and landed badly on my right heel.  Initial pain was less than you are describing, and mine did not swell, but very uncomfortable walking.  Finally starting to feel significantly better now.  As I said, yours sounds worse...sorry!

Broken.

I saw an ankle break from a 3 foot fall. I had an ankle disintegrate from a 3 foot fall. Angle of impact! So 12 feet onto heel....Likely broken but check for hidden fractures in the talus as they don't heal without intervention 

J Kuginis wrote: I saw an ankle break from a 3 foot fall. I had an ankle disintegrate from a 3 foot fall. Angle of impact! So 12 feet onto heel....Likely broken but check for hidden fractures in the talus as they don't heal without intervention 

The tallus feels broken also. I cant bend my foot because of my Achilles and there is a lot of pain in the heel and tallus. Hopefully not broken

Grant Cohen wrote:

The tallus feels broken also. I cant bend my foot because of my Achilles and there is a lot of pain in the heel and tallus. Hopefully not broken

Bro. Get an xray asap!

Can ya push yer foot like you would push the gas peddle? If not add ruptured achilles tendon to yer list of things to contemplate before having the intestinal fortitude to see a doctor.

Dude it’s been almost 24 hours why haven’t you been to a dr ?

Ryan Williams wrote: Dude it’s been almost 24 hours why haven’t you been to a dr ?

The ortho is closed and the ER and Urgent will only refer me to an ortho...

Grant Cohen wrote:

The ortho is closed and the ER and Urgent will only refer me to an ortho...

That’s telling you something dude. Trust me...I know how valuable feet are. 

Seems strange that the ER and Urgent Care wouldn't X-ray your foot. I went to a local Urgent Care about a year ago for a suspected broken foot (metatarsal) and they X-rayed it.

Edit: Do you have insurance or cash? Why wouldn't the ER treat you? Sounds fishy.

Mark E Dixon wrote: Let me warn you that it can be easy to miss a broken heel bone on a plain X-ray unless you are pretty experienced.
Ask about Bohler’s angle. If they don’t know what you are talking about, make sure the film gets read by a radiologist or an orthopod.

MD- Well according to your Xrays your foot does not appear to be broken.

Grant- Well did you look at Bohlers angle?

MD- Well I went to medical school, did a residency and *(probably these days a fellowship). I assure you the foot is not broken.

Grant- No doc you don't understand, Mark E Dixon told me that if you don't know about Bohlers angle I should get a second opinion.

MD- Who is Mark E Dixon

Grant- Some guy on MP

MD- MP?

Grant- Yeah, Mountain Project. I run all medical questions through a climbers forum filled with anonymous avatars of people I don't know before coming in to talk to a medical professional.

Love it. I'm not doubting your knowledge Mark, I can just imagine this conversation.
If your talus is broken that could have life long consequences for not getting fixed. Your calcaneous is important too but I don't know anyone who has broken that so I cant speak to it. If the foot is broken an orthopod should come into the ED to see you bc I'm willing to bet you need surgery.

Good luck

I broke my talus:

chris tregge wrote:

No, the ER or urgent care will make a diagnosis, give you a boot and crutches (and percocet) and then decide how quickly you need to be seen in Ortho.  If it's a heel fracture you really should be seen within a couple days.  If you just call ortho for an appointment they might tell you the first available is 3 weeks out.  

I spoke to my buddy who is a doctor and works at ER..told me to go to ortho when it opens and he gave me crutches