Overview

What is a broken ankle?

A broken ankle, or a fracture, remains one of the most common causes of ankle pain. In medical terms, an ankle fracture occurs when one or more bones in the ankle joint break.

Your ankle includes your tibia, fibula and talus. Your tibia is the large bone of your lower leg and may sometimes be referred to as your shinbone. A fibula is a smaller, narrower bone of your lower leg. The lower ends of your fibula and tibia combine and press against your talus. Talus is the chief connector between your leg and your foot.

There is a possibility of breaking one or more bones in the ankle joint at one time. The worse your injury will be the more bones that you break. Most serious fractures have to be operated on with surgery. You might take two weeks to two years to heal fully after breaking your ankle.

What are the symptoms of a broken ankle?

It is hard to tell whether you have sprained or broken your ankle. And if your ankle is broken, you probably won't know that you have broken more than one bone until your doctor evaluates your condition.

Here are some common symptoms of a broken ankle:

• Suddenly, you have severe pain in your ankle.
• You cannot put weight on it.
• Pain is caused when you touch the ankle.
• The color of your ankle changes.
• Your ankle swells up.

What causes ankle fractures?

Most people break their ankles when they hit their ankles straight on. They either fell heavily or something struck them that caused the ankle break. Some ways that an ankle fracture can occur include:

• Being involved in a car accident.
• Engaging in sports: Most likely, those that entangle you with hitting your ankle or sudden movements that cause twisting of the ankle.
• Fall from a substantial height.
• Trip or fall.
• Misstep step and "turn your ankle."

How do doctors diagnose ankle fractures?

Your doctor has several tests that they might use in diagnosing ankle fractures and establishing the extent of your injury. Some of the tests that your doctor might do to assess your fracture include the following:

• Physical examination.
• X-ray.
• Computed tomography (CT) scan.
• Magnetic resonance imagery (MRI).
• Bone scan.

How is an ankle fracture treated?

Treatment of an ankle fracture depends on various considerations, including the number of broken bones in the ankle. In other words, the cause of the fractured ankle and the number of fractures require treatment. No one will need surgery with a fractured ankle, but everyone with a fractured ankle will need some kind of treatment to get well.

You may not need surgery if you sustain a stress fracture. Bracing or casting is often required to immobilize your ankle while your bones mend. Other types of more serious ankle fractures are treated by reduction or surgery.

In the reduction procedure, your healthcare practitioner will try to change the ends of your damaged ankle bones by moving your ankle. He will also administer local anesthesia to numb your ankle.

What is the surgery done on broken ankles?

Ankle fractures are treated with the open reduction internal fixation ORIF method. The process of ORIF involves making some cuts open on your injured ankle and fragments of your broken bones, and then the surgeons can line that up. The surgeons may then install some wires, screws, or even metal plates to keep your ankle bones stable while your bones heal.

What are the complications of ankle fracture?

Complications may include:

• Acute compartment syndrome (ACS): Pressure builds in your muscles, keeping your blood from reaching your muscles and tissues. ACS can cause permanent muscle and nerve damage.
• Malunion: It occurs when the bones fail to heal properly, causing them to lose their alignment.
• Bone infection or osteomyelitis: One of the most dangerous fractures is an open fracture. Since an open fracture breaks through your skin, bacterial infection seeps into your bone.
• Damage to nerves or blood vessels: The fracture may injure nerves and blood vessels in the ankle.

How long does it take for an ankle fracture to heal after surgery?

A long period may be needed to heal from an ankle fracture. It all depends on the degree of damage when you fractured your ankle. Most people can walk with weight on the ankle after 16 weeks after surgery. In addition, as many as two years might be taken by the ankle fracture to completely heal and regain its strength.

What can you do to help prevent ankle fractures?

Many ankle fractures are caused by traumatism, such as by automobile accidents, falls, or sporting injuries.

You can also break your ankle while twisting the ankle when walking, stepping off the curb, or tripping over something in your home. To lower this risk you can:

• Be more mindful as you walk on uneven surfaces and curbs.
• Tiling up clutter in your home makes you trip and fall on your ankles.

How long does it take for an ankle to mend once it is fractured?

A fractured ankle will require time to heal. If you underwent surgery to repair more than one of your ankle bones, it may take two years before you have a completely normal ankle. If you did not need surgery, your ankle might be healed and back to normal within 12 to 16 weeks.

How do I know when to call my doctor or go to an emergency department?

You should call your doctor or go to the emergency department if you have:

• Pain which cannot be controlled by prescription medication
• Numbness or tingling
• Increasing swelling
• Any change in your ability to bear weight on your injured ankle
• Evidence of infection, such as fever, chills, redness or your incision is draining.
• You reinjured your ankle.

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