History Main / TwistedAnkle

** Also [[DefensiveFeintTrap regularly faked by Buffy]] once the vampire of the week has chased her far enough that they are out of sight. Lampshaded in "Earshot" when she announces that the stumble-and-fall gets them every time. After knocking down the demon, Buffy is ambushed by a second, implying they were trying their own version of her trick.

* Both heroes and villain experience this towards the end of ''Film/TheTerminator''. Kyle catches a gunshot wound that slows him down; fortunately the Terminator has also damaged a leg, slowing down its pursuit. Then Sarah catches a piece of shrapnel in her thigh in the same explosion that [[WhoNeedsTheirWholeBody blows the Terminator's legs off]].

* Both heroes and villain experience this towards the end of ''Film/TheTerminator''. Kyle catches a gunshot wound that slows him down; fortunately the Terminator has also damaged a leg, slowing down its pursuit. Then Sarah catches a piece of shrapnel in her thigh in the same explosion that blows the Terminator's legs off.

* Twisted ankles were the main method [[Series/DoctorWho The Doctor]]'s companions used to advance the plot and increase the tension in an episode: when being chased through the BBCQuarry by PeopleInRubberSuits, Sarah Jane Smith especially could be counted upon to twist her ankle at just the right moment. Fans accuse Susan of being the worst for this.

* ''StarslipCrisis'':

* Parodied in the ''[[TheAngryBeavers Angry Beavers]]'' Halloween special "The Day the Whole World Got Really Screwed Up". In one scene, the beavers and a generic B-movie damsel-in-distress are trying to flee a horde of monsters, only for the woman to injure one ankle, then the other, then both at once somehow as the beavers try to help her along.

* In the UminekoNoNakuKoroNi VN, this was originally the reason Rosa decided to stay put and try to fight the goat-headed butlers. While she and Maria were running through the rose garden, Rosa tripped on the steps and broke her ankle, so she couldn't make it to the beach, which was originally her plan.

** Also regularly faked by Buffy once the vampire of the week has chased her far enough that they are out of sight. Lampshaded in "Earshot" when she announces that the stumble-and-fall gets them every time. After knocking down the demon, Buffy is ambushed by a second, implying they were trying their own version of her trick.

Any injury which causes a fleeing victim to fall or become slowed to allow a pursuer a better chance to catch up. If the injury is severe, another character may need to be depended upon for transportation (often in a fireman's carry), thus slowing down additional characters.

See also BrokenHeel. Contrast DramaticSlip.

** Also regularly faked by Buffy once the vampire of the week has chased her far enough that they are out of sight. Lampshaded in one epsode when she announces that the stumble and fall gets them every time.

* It happens to Carly in one episode of ''TransformersGeneration1''.

->'''Tony''': Ah, let me guess... You're that person in horror movie]] that decides that since all your friends are dead, you really need to go check out the demonic, breathing noise]] down in the basement.

->'''Tony''': Ah, let me guess... [[ConversationalTroping You're that person in horror movie]] that decides that since [[FinalGirl all your friends are dead]], you really need to go check out the [[HellIsThatNoise demonic, breathing noise]] down in the [[CreepyBasement basement]].

-->-- ''{{NCIS}}''

* ''Film/ResidentEvilRetribution''. Housewife!Alice hobbles out of a crashed car more slowly than the zombie horde charging up behind her, yet escapes into a nearby house due to a handy scene cut.

* ''Film/ResidentEvilRetribution''. In the AllJustADream sequence, Alice hobbles out of a crashed car more slowly than the zombie horde charging up behind her, yet escapes into a nearby house due to a handy scene cut.

* ''Film/ResidentEvilRetribution''. In the AllJustADream sequence, Alice hobbles out of a crashed car more slowly than the zombie horde charging up behind her, yet escapes into a nearby house due to a handy jump cut.

* ''ResidentEvilRetribution''. In the AllJustADream sequence, Alice hobbles out of a crashed car more slowly than the zombie horde charging up behind her, yet escapes into a nearby house due to a handy jump cut.

* Marion sprains his ankle jumping out a window in ''{{Series/TheSwampFox}}",though once on his horse, he's fine.

* Marion sprains his ankle jumping out a window in ''SwampFox'' , though once on his horse, he's fine.

* Marion sprains his ankle jumping out a window in ''TheSwampFox'' , though once on his horse, he's fine.