should I go to the doctor?

[zio]

Banged myself up pretty good on Friday. Couldn't move on Saturday. Felt better Sunday. Mostly mobile today. I thought my fibula was fractured. Not broken, because I was able to pick my bike up after the gnarly downhill endo. No one witnessed it, unfortunately. It was so graceful. I was twisting mid-air to avoid landing on my back. I mostly pulled it, but my leg landed on a rock. And I wrenched my lower back something awful. That's what had me laid up- my back. It's still pretty tender today, but at least no pain.

So is there any danger in not going? I mean, what could happen if it is fractured? It could only be a small one, like maybe a hairline. I just hate going for no reason.

 

[Kawidude]

I'm a firm believer in "better safe than sorry." You never know what you might have going on that could worsen if you don't get it looked at. I had a nice 1mph tumble on Saturday and thought I broke some ribs. Figured I'd go to the ER just to be safe. It was just a contusion so I walked out with a bottle of Vicodin. I'd rather go in and have them find nothing serious than stay home and have some pain pop up in a couple of weeks. Plus, I was hoping get a nice x-ray with a nasty fracture on it, but no luck. Maybe if I go faster next time I crash.

 

[zio]

okay, you're no help. I want a doctor or vetrinarian to tell me if it could get gangreen and have to be amputated.

Sorry about the no xrays. that's always a bummer. ;)

 

[Kawidude]

You're right, I'm not a doctor....but I play one on TV. I smelled your last post and it smells like bad cheese. Go get that thing looked at before it falls off!

 

[billtx]

Hard to say if you should go or not. One thing a friend of mine did..he broke his ankle on a mountain bike, waited 4 or 5 days and then went to an ER. Turns out the insurance would not pay because they said it was not an emrgency because he waited so long.

 

[Gardener]

I fractured my wrist (found out latter) when I went over the bars after hitting a soft patch of snow and caught my hand in a hand guard. It healed kinda funny but still works OK. I hate going to see the vet for minor ailments too but if I had it all to do over again, I'd be at the Dr. in a heart-beat.

 

[mattwr250f]

yes go to the vet...

 

[zio]

Went to the doctor, got xrays. No break or fracture. It's just a soft-tissue injury. And it feels mostly better now. My lower back still bothers me after doing any strenuous activity. But he said that'd linger for a while. He also told me something I've never heard before: back injuries can cause pain elsewhere in your body. Someting having to do with disks swelling & releasing fluid, which puts pressure on the nerves that lead to other parts of the body, especially the legs. Maybe Nephron will read this & enlighten us. I imagine that would apply to a lot of us.

 

[nephron]

Went to the doctor, got xrays. No break or fracture. It's just a soft-tissue injury. And it feels mostly better now. My lower back still bothers me after doing any strenuous activity. But he said that'd linger for a while. He also told me something I've never heard before: back injuries can cause pain elsewhere in your body. Someting having to do with disks swelling & releasing fluid, which puts pressure on the nerves that lead to other parts of the body, especially the legs. Maybe Nephron will read this & enlighten us. I imagine that would apply to a lot of us.

Zio, I haven't been in this forum for a while, or I would have told you not to go. Mainly because fibula fractures don't matter and aren't immobilized unless there's instability, then a walking boot is used. Also, your back injury isn't serious enough to see anyone unless you've lost motor function in your legs/feet or have problems with bowel and bladder (well, worse than what you normally have, anyway). I've talked about the disc thing before and you could probably find it with a search, but yeah--when you acutely wrench your back, you can sometimes get some discitis (inflammation), with disc swelling. The disc's HNP (jelly center, like a jelly donut) herniates posterolaterally and compresses the existing nerve root from the level immediately above (eg, L5/S1 hernation compresses L4 nerve root) and causes pain in the area SUPPLIED by that exiting nerve. L4 would be the anterior quad and lower leg, plus the top of the foot, with a loss of knee reflexes.

Clear? :laugh:

 

[LazyBoy]

Nothing wrong with going to get it checked out because it could cause problem's down the road.

 

[zio]

Nephron, that's exactly what I was thinking. ;) Maybe I should open up my own neighborhood clinic. I could do basic health screenings and dispense colon blow.

 

[IRISHCOFFEE]

Zio, I think you were smart to ask for Nephron's advice. I have been reading his post's for a while. He obviously has the IQ, knowledge and experience to deserve respect. I am coming at this from a different perspective. I had a back operation a month ago to correct a problem my neurosurgeon wanted to do nine years ago. I "toughed" it out to avoid the surgery and ended up causing more damage I could have avoided. It does not sound if you have a real problem but if you or anyone experiences persistent leg numbness or tingling you should have it ckd. out by a "qualified" expert. All doctors-surgeons are not equal. Be careful with your spine!