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Ankle Fracture
Complete list of fracture information
Ankle fracture picture |
Ankle Fracture
In the ankle, three different bones can be fractured:
- The tibia — This is the larger of the two bones in the lower leg. The
tibia's lower end flares out, forming a hard, bony knob, called the medial malleolus, that
you can feel at the inside of your ankle.
- The fibula — This is the thinner of the two bones of the lower leg. Its
lower end forms a hard, bony knob, called the lateral malleolus, that you can feel at the
outside of your ankle.
- The talus — This is a wedge-shaped bone that is located deep inside the
ankle, braced between the heel bone and the ends of the tibia and fibula. The talus
supports the lower ends of the tibia and fibula, and it forms a solid base for the normal
range of ankle movements.
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Symptoms of ankle fracture
If you have a fractured ankle, your symptoms probably will
include:
- Pain, swelling, tenderness and bruising at your ankle joint
- Inability to move your ankle through its normal range of motion
- Inability to bear weight on your injured ankle — However, if you can bear weight on
the ankle, don't assume there is no fracture.
- In some cases, a "crack" or "snap" in the ankle at the time of
injury
- In open fractures, severe ankle deformity, with portions of the fractured bone visible
through broken skin
Treatment of ankle fracture
If your ankle fracture involves only one malleolus, and the segments of
broken bone lie very close together, your doctor usually can treat the injury by
immobilizing your ankle and foot in a cast for six to eight weeks. After the cast is
removed, your doctor will prescribe physical therapy to help restore the normal range of
motion in your ankle joint.
If you have more extensive damage to your ankle, or the fragments of
broken bone are separated far from one another, your doctor will repair your fractured
ankle surgically with special screws or wires. Injuries resulting in broken skin require
antibiotics given intravenously (into a vein) to prevent infection. |
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