If you notice that you are gradually losing motion of the extremity you should seek treatment. Fevers, chills or severe sweating at night are not normal and you should consider seeking evaluation right away. It is often difficult to know if an injury due to an accident or trauma is serious or not. Signs that the injury is more serious include severe pain which makes the individual nauseated or very uncomfortable, deformity at the site of injury, immediate and massive swelling at the location of the injury, loss of function of the part that is injured, tingling or numbness of the extremity and inability to move the fingers or toes of the involved extremity. We tell athletes that things do not swell and hurt for no reason.
More severe injuries have more swelling and pain.
Injured areas that turn black and blue over time indicate that blood vessels have been broken and that there is the possibility of an injury to the bones, ligaments, tendons or cartilage. In most cases where a joint becomes swollen, painful and incapable of movement after an injury, it is impossible to tell if there is a fracture without an X-ray. While there are some guidelines recommended for the use in the emergency room about who should have an X-ray and who should not, these guidelines are controversial and are recommended for only health professionals with experience seeing these injuries. If you have any question about whether an injury is serious or not, you should seek treatment. Sometimes this is done sooner rather than later in athletic individuals who have a more pressing need to know the severity of the injury, thereby allowing quicker return to sport.