HELP ME!

OUCH!!!!! Did you get X rays??

Yoga and pilates has always been great exercise for people coming back into work after an injury, perhaps this could help you?

That sounds painful. But I understand how hard it is to catch those balls sometimes. I got one in the face a few years back because I wasn't quick enough to catch it. The question regarding "can you ride a bike" is a really good one because that is a great way to stay trim and get your exercise but in a very low weight bearing way. I know as a nurse and as a patient following knee injury, riding the bike really worked for rehabilitation and relatively pain free way to get the exercise I needed. Perhaps a friend has a stationary bike you can borrow for a couple of week or so. Good luck and get better soon.

If it is still black and blue, you could have a cracked or broken bone. Sounds like you need to see someone who can determine if it is broken or not. And can suggest a treatment for the bruised foot. You need to have it checked out.

It's unlikely that you broke your shin, but an x-ray is a good idea if it doesn't get better.

Biking and water exercise will help the body dissipate the swelling.

Gentle retrograde massage (from the foot, towards the body) can help push the swelling out. Doesn't need to be anything technical, just think of "milking" the swelling back toward your body.

ICE, ICE, ICE.

Elevate your foot a bit when you sleep. Take a folded blanket and put it under the end of your mattress and that will lift it up without you having to stay in one position with your foot on a pillow.

A compression.elastic wrap can help too. Start at the toes, and wrap up just past the site of impact. The wrap should be a bit tighter (but tolerable) in the foot, and loosen up a bit as you go up. By the time you get to the top, you should easily be able to slide a finger or two under the wrap. You may need two wraps to cover that distance. Also, you can put a compression pad over the impact site to help with the local swelling there if you have a welt. Just use some felt or foam and cut it about the size of the welt, then wrap it on as above.

A 3-7 day course of ibuprofen can help with inflammation, but only if you stay on it 3-4x per day. Taking it randomly here or there only helps with pain.

Bone bruises can take 12-16 weeks to heal, so don't be surprised if you continue to have tenderness to pressure at the impact site for quite a while.

Again, if you're concerned, see your doc.

Hope that helps!
Good luck for a speedy recovery.
Jen

ETA: the swelling in the foot is just bruising from your leg that has dropped into the foot due to gravity (water runs downhill). Vascular return to the heart is passive... it depends on mechanical compression from muscle contraction. But when there is extra fluid, and decreased body movement due to pain, this system can get overwhelmed. Hence the ice, elevation and compression!