Ankle Fractures

Because ankle sprains and fractures are so similar, it is important to have a physician check the injury as soon as possible. Here is a list of some common ankle fractures symptoms :

• Pain: The most common symptom that patients report. Pain will not always originate from the exact area of the injury. Sometimes, associated fractures (such as ones on the side of the small toe) may lead to ankle pain. That being said, it is generally a pain in the ankle that prevents patients from being able to walk.
• Swelling: Results from either soft tissue damage or blood/fluid surrounding the joint itself. When blood surrounds the joint, doctors refer to this as hemarthrosis.
• Bruising: Easily characterized by black and blue discoloration of the skin surrounding the joint. Bruising may go all the way down to the sole of the foot and toward the toes.
• Bone Deformities: Only really occurs in more severe fractures, deformities usually manifest in one of two ways. Either the skin stretches over the affected bone or the bone itself punctures through the skin and becomes exposed.
• Numbness: This occurs when blood vessels or nerves are injured from the fracture. Aside from lack of sensation, patients may also find that their foot skin is pale or that they have lost the ability to move their toes.

These are the most basic symptoms of this type of injury. Other complications such as infection also exist, but have not been included here for brevity and contextual relevance.

Before anything, our doctors will need to determine if you have a sprain or an ankle fracture. This will most likely be done by one of our newer doctors: a podiatrist or sports medicine specialist

Our doctor will examine your injury and ask questions relevant to the nature of your injury. For added confirmation, usually, an imaging test is ordered such as an x-ray, CT Scan, or MRI. Once our doctor has confirmed the nature of your injury, the treatment process may begin.

Nonsurgical Treatment For Ankle Fractures

Treatment, of course, will always depend on the nature and severity of your case. Usually, your doctor will initially recommend the RICE method:

• Rest: Make sure to give the ankle proper rest. Try not to walk on it any more than you must.
• Ice: Apply ice to the affected area (but not directly). Place a thin towel between the pack and your skin. (Otherwise, you may cause additional damage to the skin.) Use in 20-minute increments, with 40 minutes of rest in between.
• Compression: Using an elastic wrap on the affected area will help to reduce swelling.
• Elevation: The affected ankle should be raised just above chest level to help control swelling.

Additional treatments include immobilization and prescription medication. Immobilization is ideal for certain fractures because it helps protect and restrict the ankle and foot via a cast or splint. This is basically just a way to help reinforce the “R” in RICE. Prescription meds are best for relieving pain. And, anti-inflammatories are great for controlling the swelling.

Surgical Treatment Options for Ankle Fractures

If your bones are no longer properly aligned, your doctor may realign them before placing the affected foot in a splint or cast. In the event that the bones cannot be realigned properly, then the patient will need to have surgery. This also may be necessary if the bone has pierced the skin. If the bone breaks through like this, this is known as a compound fracture, and it is much more serious than a normal one. The type of surgery depends on the nature of your fracture, so for the sake of brevity, we will look at only one example.

Malleolus Fracture Surgery

Remember, this refers to a fracture at the back of the tibia at the level of the ankle joint.

Usually, in these instances, the fibula is also broken. The reason for this is because the fibula connects via ligaments to the posterior malleolus. In the absolute worst cases, this may be accompanied by a fracture of the medial malleolus.

Depending on how large the broken section of bone is, the back of the ankle may become unstable. If the piece is on the larger side (bigger than 25% of the ankle) and is out of place by more than a few millimeters, the cartilage will not heal properly and the surface of the joint will become rough. This unevenness leads to even more pressure and instability, which in turn causes cartilage damage and arthritis.

There are plenty of approaches for how to treat this surgically, but the most common involves having screws operatively inserted from the front to the back of the ankle. In some instances, your doctor may also resort to plates and screws inserted along the anterior side of the shin bone.

Do you think you have a fracture or sprained your ankle? Firstly, contact emergency medical services and then schedule a follow up with our doctors at (855) 586-2615. Our newest podiatrist and sports medicine specialist will be able to ensure that your recovery is an efficient and speedy one. Don’t hesitate, contact us today!