How can you tell if you have an ankle sprain or a broken foot?

Foot pain: Any foot & ankle specialist will be able to pinpoint the exact area of concern with an exam and if needed an xray. If you are concerned and in pain I recommend getting seen as soon as you can for proper diagnosis and treatment if needed.

Sometimes not easy..: Often, telling this is not so easy, even for the expert. Swelling, bruising, pain and dysfunction can be very similar with both the fracture and the sprain. The absolute proof is seeing bone sticking out of the skin, but other than that, most physicians rely on some type of imaging evidence.