Comments on: Get Your Own X-ray

By: Vladimir von Winkelstien

Vladimir von Winkelstien — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 03:40:41 +0000

My experience:
Me: “Hi Doc. I rolled my ankle yesterday, now it’s swollen and it hurts like crazy.”
Doc: “Do you want an x-ray?”
Me: “Um. Actually, I wanted to know what I need to do to make my ankle better.”
Doc: “Okay, let’s get you an x-ray.”

I don’t think the problem is entirely that patients are demanding x-rays…

By: Nurse K

Nurse K — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 01:15:32 +0000

We x-ray plantar fasciitis and atraumatic foot pain all the time. My favorite x-ray was the chick who was wearing high heels all day who said her feet hurt from walking in high heels all day.

We Americans don’t even need an injury for an x-ray! Ottawa Ankle Rules are like Step 10 in the X-Ray 10-Step Program…Step 1 is just trying to convince doctors that people with plantar fasciitis don’t need x-rays.

But our doctors are “special”.

By: Kipper

Kipper — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 00:56:54 +0000

When my ankle was broken, neither an X-ray nor Ottawa ankle rules were needed to know there was a problem: my foot was facing the wrong direction. However, the orthopedic surgeon still needed X-rays before making the repair, so the ER doc saved me time and stress when he ordered them.

By: Jane Farries

Jane Farries — Sun, 22 Jul 2012 21:13:47 +0000

“Ottawa Ankle Rules” — what a great name for a hockey team. I’ll suggest it to the NHL.

By: Wayne Conrad

Wayne Conrad — Sat, 21 Jul 2012 19:10:32 +0000

Essays like this one are why I’ve told Google reader to file your blog under both “rescuers” and “liberty.” Nicely said, Dr. WC.

By: Roo

Roo — Sat, 21 Jul 2012 04:05:14 +0000

How would the insurance determine if the x ray is indicated? Is ankle pain a good enough diagnosis for that? I was an athletic trainer we used pretty much the same protocol as the Ottawa rules to determine the necessity for an x ray. If one of our pt’s wanted an x-ray, too bad. I’m not going to talk to the doc and ask for one, don’t need it. Don’t like it? Too bad, my training supersedes your want for an image study.