An ankle fracture may be caused by at least one of the bones that form an ankle joint. This includes the fibula, the tibia, and the talus bones.
What to Look for
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When looking at the ankle injury to determine whether you’ve injured or broken it, there are some factors to consider helping you decide. The first one is the cause of the injury. An ankle bone may fracture due to something as minor as a fall or as serious as an accident in a car. Whatever caused, because it to break was intense and painful. Let’s discuss How to tell if ankle is broken.
Broken Ankles Are the Cause Of
An ankle fracture occurs when excessive force is put on the ankle. The most common causes include Source:
- Falls and Trips
- High Impact
- Unintentional Errors
- Sports
- Car Accidents
- Inappropriate Use
- Trauma
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Symptoms of a Broken Ankle
The other thing you should consider is the severity of the symptoms. There are a few signs that could alert you to the possibility of a fractured ankle. They include:
- Extreme pain when you press your foot
- Inability to walk immediately following the injury or later on in the daytime.
- Swelling or bleeding that occurs fast
- You can hear a pop sound as you heal.
- Your ankle may be malformed.
- A feeling of numbness in the foot or the ankle
How to Tell if Ankle is Broken?
It’s sometimes difficult to tell if the pain in your ankle is a sign that it is injured or fractured. If the ankle is broken, likely, you won’t be able to tell whether you’ve fractured several bones before your healthcare professional can examine it.
If you suspect you’ve injured your ankle, get medical treatment immediately. Your doctor will assess your ankle and determine whether you need diagnostic imaging, such as an x-ray. In the meantime, until you can see your doctor, other important actions you must take are:
- You’ve experienced sudden, extreme discomfort in your ankle.
- It isn’t possible to put any ankle weight.
- It hurts when you press your ankle.
- Your ankle has been swollen.
- Your ankle is swelling.
How Can A Broken Ankle Be Determined?
X-rays are typically required to determine if there is a fractured bone, as opposed to an injury to soft tissue such as an ankle sprain. This is because ankle fractures and sprains have the same symptoms. Other imaging in radiology, like a CT scan, or MRI, could be required to determine the extent and severity of the injury.
If an imaging scan indicates the patient suffers from a broken ankle, the person must consult an orthopedic surgeon whenever possible. There are many kinds of ankle fractures, none requiring surgery. However, when they do, they must receive the correct procedure from an experienced foot and ankle specialist.
A poorly or ineffective approach can cause patients to need additional corrective surgeries or, later on, suffer from ankle pain, arthritis, or even an ankle replacement operation. Timely and effective treatment is crucial to maintaining the ankle joint for the long term.
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When Should You Start Recovering From An Ankle Fracture?
The bones can take upwards to six weeks to recover. It can also be longer to allow ligaments and other soft tissue to recover. Following surgery, patients are typically restricted from weight bearing for 4 to 6 months till the healing of their bone.
Patients are put in a pain-management program that reduces their dependence on opioids. Patients remain in a splint for an initial couple of weeks, elevating their limbs at least 90% of the time. Sutures are taken off in 10 to 14 days, and patients are generally placed in a boot with a removable strap.
Patients are then able to begin moving their ankles and take a shower. After six weeks, it is possible to obtain X-rays. If the bone heals well, patients are allowed to be able to lift weights and start physical therapy. If needed, patients typically receive up to six weeks of treatment or more.
What Medical Procedure Is Best For Treating A Fractured Ankle?
Broken ankle treatment is based on the alignment of bone and ankle joints’ stability. The goal is to make sure that your bones heal as close to their original position as possible so that there is no remaining instability or misalignment of the bone.
It’s much easier to fix a broken bone rather than treat arthritis later. A few ankle fractures that are mild (stable and without displacement) can be treated without surgery with a splint or short leg cast or any other device that protects the ankle, like a walking boot.
A few patients might be able to walk immediately with support, while other patients may require crutches to reduce weight bearing.
For more severe fractures, in which the bones or fragments of bone aren’t aligned, surgery is required to stop the healing process from going off, which could hinder the ankle’s ability to move and could lead to further complications.
Solutions for Fractured Ankle
The most common procedure is getting an X-ray scan to determine whether your ankle is damaged and how severe the fracture is. You might not require any treatment if you’ve got a minor injury.
For a more serious vacation, it is possible to:
- A specific boot that will you support your ankle
- A plaster cast is used to keep your ankle steady while it heals
- a physician relocates the bones (they’ll administer an injection to anesthesia your ankle)
- surgery to fix the damaged bones
Recovery from a Fractured Ankle
An ankle fracture typically will take 6 to 8 weeks to heal; however, it may be longer. The doctor will inform you:
- How long you’ll be required to wear the boot or get the plaster cast put on
- How much weight should you put on your ankle? You might be offered crutches or a frame to keep the weight off your ankle.
After it’s healed, you can use your ankle the same way you normally do. Moving it can stop it from becoming stiff.
You may need to visit a physical therapist. They will assist you in doing exercises to improve your ankle and foot gradually moving.
Consult your physician about when you can resume the contact sport or any other activity that can place an excessive amount of stress on your ankle.
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What Are The Bones That Break During An Ankle Fracture?
The ankle comprises the distal part of the Tibia (shin bone) and the fibula (outside the ankle bone). These form the wall and the roof of the joint. The talus bone forms the base of the ankle joint.
The ankle is comprised of three parts.
- The medial malleolus (inside),
- The lateral malleolus (back),
- The lateral malleolus, also known as the fibula (outside)
An ankle fracture could be found in any or all of these bones
Frequently Ask Questions
Broken Ankle Pictures
Are Ankle Fractures And Breaks Regular?
Ankle fractures are among the most commonly fractured of lower extremities. They can happen in the early years of childhood and into the later years.
Can you Walk on a Broken Ankle?
Certain patients who suffer from an ankle injury can walk, and this isn’t a great test to determine if you’ve fractured your ankle.
Do You Have The Ability To Move Your Toes When Your Ankle Has Been Injured?
This is a widely dispersed urban legend. People believe that in the event of a broken ankle, it will not be capable of wiggling your feet. Although this may be accurate, you could suffer from a fractured ankle most of the time but still be able to move your toes.
Can you Bear Weight on a Broken Ankle?
If you suffer from an injury to your ankle, the pain may be similar to an ankle strain. In reality, sometimes you can even weigh bear a little discomfort. An ankle fracture that is more severe usually results in difficulty sustaining weight and may require surgery
Broken Ankle Symptoms vs Sprain
| Sprain | Broken Ankle Symptoms |
| The ability to support an ankle weight | Inability to support an ankle weight |
| Mild-to-moderate discomfort | Moderate to severe pain following an injury |
| Ankle instability | The swelling and bruising are usually evident and immediate |
| A few bruises and swellings | Ankle deformity |
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