The ankle is a common place for an avulsion fracture.
An avulsion fracture occurs when an injury causes a ligament
or tendon to tear off (avulse) a small piece of a bone to which it's attached. The injury
may be due to direct trauma, such as a hard tackle in football, or indirect trauma, such
as an aggressive pivot in soccer or basketball. This type of fracture can also be
associated with serious injury to the involved ligament or tendon.
Small avulsion fractures don't need surgery or casting. Treatment typically is with ice
and rest. Small avulsions rarely cause any problems after the injury heals. The avulsion
may still be visible on an X-ray. But it usually doesn't cause any pain or discomfort
