Medication
On average, a broken ankle takes about 6 weeks for the broken ankles to heal and become the way they were before the injury. However, this is just a rough estimate. The actual duration would be based on the time taken by injured ligaments and bones to mend and heal again.
Procedures
To aid in the healing process, if your ankle is not immobilised, it is also recommended that you do gentle rotating exercises to help prevent stiffness. A brace that provides good compression and reduces swelling could also significantly reduce pain. Following a fracture or break, a common symptom can be excessive swelling on the site of the break.
Therapy
Ankle range of motion (ROM) exercises are one of the first things your PT will prescribe once you get out of your cast or brace after an ankle fracture. Your physical therapist may passively move your ankle joint through various motions, and he or she may have you actively move your ankle to improve the motion around the joint.
Self-care
Treatment
- Medications. Your doctor may recommend an over-the-counter pain reliever, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, others).
- Therapy. After your bone has healed, you'll probably need to loosen up stiff muscles and ligaments in your ankles and feet.
- Surgical or other procedures. ...
Nutrition
How long does it take for a fractured ankle to heal?
Can you help with fast heal for ankle fracture?
What to expect from physical therapy after an ankle fracture?
What to do after an ankle fracture?
Can old fractures be fixed?
A bone may not be able to regenerate unless the bone fragments are reassembled and held in place. Several ways to stabilize broken bones without surgery include casts, braces, and slings. If surgery is required to reposition bone fragments, a doctor may use metal screws, rods, and plates to accomplish this.
What happens if a broken ankle is left untreated?
When a bone fracture is untreated, it can result in either a nonunion or a delayed union. In the former case, the bone doesn't heal at all, which means that it will remain broken. As a result, swelling, tenderness, and pain will continue to worsen over time.
Will my ankle ever be the same after a fracture?
If it's a low-to-medium grade ligament injury or a stable bone fracture, then it's highly likely that the ankle will be similar to before. With more severe ligaments and unstable fractures, there is always some difference in flexibility and appearance.
Can broken ankles be healed?
A broken ankle usually takes 6 to 8 weeks to heal, but it can take longer. The doctor will tell you: how long you'll have to wear the boot or have the plaster cast on. how much weight to put on your ankle – you may be given crutches or a walking frame to help keep weight off it.
Can an old ankle injury cause problems years later?
Many adults who sprained their ankles when they were younger could be at risk for more serious damage as they age and try to stay active. It's important to get your ankles checked for chronic instability caused by old injuries.
Can an old fracture cause pain years later?
Chronic Pain – After Healing Is Complete However, some people may continue to experience pain long after the fracture and soft tissues have healed. Full healing from a fracture can take anywhere from several weeks to several months and occasionally even several years.
Can screws in ankle cause pain?
Most people do not have problems with the plate and screws. In rare cases, the plate and screws can cause some pain or irritation. When this happens, the hardware may be removed after the fracture is healed, about a year from the original surgery.
Can a broken ankle cause arthritis?
Post-traumatic arthritis develops after an injury to a foot or ankle, such as a fracture or dislocation. Post-traumatic arthritis can look a lot like osteoarthritis, and affects patients similarly. It can also take a long time, even years, to present.
What is worse a fracture or a break?
Some people assume that fractured bones are more serious than broken bones, while others assume it's the other way around. But the truth is that these terms are used interchangeably, and they have the same meaning to medical professionals.
Do all ankle fractures need surgery?
Not all broken ankles require surgery, but all broken ankles require some level of care to heal. You probably won't need surgery if you have a stress fracture. You might need a brace or cast to support your ankle while it heals. More serious ankle fractures require reduction or surgery.
Why does my broken ankle still hurt after a year?
If your ankle starts to hurt long after a break, see your doctor for an evaluation. Bone infection (osteomyelitis). If you have an open fracture, meaning one end of the bone protrudes through the skin, your bone may be exposed to bacteria that cause infection. Compartment syndrome.
What is the most common ankle fracture?
The most common fracture is to the bony bump on the outside of the ankle, the lateral malleolus. The lateral malleolus is the bottom of the fibula, the smaller lower leg bone. The bump on the inside of your ankle, the medial malleolus, is less commonly fractured.
What is the best way to treat a broken ankle?
A CT scan may help your doctor determine the best treatment for your broken ankle. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MRI uses radio waves and a strong magnetic field to create very detailed images of the ligaments that help hold your ankle together. This imaging helps to show ligaments and bones and can identify fractures not seen on X-rays.
Where to get treatment for broken ankle?
You will likely initially seek treatment for a broken ankle in an emergency room or urgent care clinic. If the pieces of broken bone aren't lined up properly for healing, you may be referred to a doctor specializing in orthopedic surgery.
What does a doctor do when you have a sore ankle?
Your doctor will examine your ankle to check for points of tenderness. The precise location of your pain can help determine its cause.
What is the best way to diagnose fractures?
Bone scan. A bone scan can help your doctor diagnose fractures that don't show up on X-rays. A technician will inject a small amount of radioactive material into a vein. The radioactive material is attracted to your bones, especially the parts of your bones that have been damaged.
How to reduce swelling in ankle?
Apply ice for 15 to 20 minutes at a time, every three to four hours to bring down the swelling. Keep your ankle elevated. Don't put any weight on your injured ankle. Lightly wrap the injury in a soft bandage that provides slight compression. By Mayo Clinic Staff.
What to do if you have a broken bone?
Depending on the amount of pain and swelling you have, you may need a muscle relaxant, a sedative or a local anesthetic to numb the area before this procedure. Immobilization. A broken bone must be immobilized so that it can heal. In most cases, this requires a special boot or a cast. Surgery.
What do you use to fix a fractured bone?
Surgery. In some cases, an orthopedic surgeon may need to use pins, plates or screws to maintain proper position of your bones during healing. These materials may be removed after the fracture has healed if they are prominent or painful.
What is the best treatment for a fractured ankle?
Immobilization. Immobilization of an ankle fracture is commonly performed in the emergency room. 2 Usually, a splint or cast will be applied to hold the ankle in place while allowing the bones to heal. Immobilization also helps with pain as it will allow the ankle joint to rest and the swelling to subside. If the ankle fracture is not badly ...
What are the risks of ankle fractures?
Of particular concern with ankle fractures are people who may be at high risk for infection and healing complications. 3 These include people who smoke, have diabetes, or have peripheral vascular disease (circulation problems).
What is the most important factor to consider when deciding on the treatment of an ankle fracture?
Below are a few important considerations: Stability of the ankle joint: The most important factor to consider in deciding on the treatment of an ankle fracture is the stability of the ankle joint. 2 The ankle joint is where three bones come together, and allows the foot to bend up and down. If unstable, the function and stability ...
Why does my ankle wear out so quickly?
The reason the joint wears out quickly is similar to a car wearing out tires when the wheels are not properly aligned. The most common reason to perform surgery on a broken ankle is due to an unstable joint. 2 .
How to fix a broken ankle?
Immobilization of an ankle fracture is commonly performed in the emergency room. 2 Usually, a splint or cast will be applied to hold the ankle in place while allowing the bones to heal. Immobilization also helps with pain as it will allow the ankle joint to rest and the swelling to subside. If the ankle fracture is not badly displaced, the splint may be put on without moving the broken ankle. If the broken bone is out of position, a procedure called a reduction of the fracture will be performed to reposition the bone. 2
How long can you put weight on a broken ankle?
Sometimes, patients will not be able to place any weight on the ankle for several months, other times within days to weeks. 1 Determining when you can place weight on the broken ankle depends on the type of ankle fracture; this will have to be discussed with your doctor.
What is an open fracture?
Open fractures: There are some types of injuries that require surgery, one particular case is an open fracture. This is when the skin overlying the broken bones is disrupted, and the fracture is exposed to outside the body.
What causes a stress fracture in the ankle?
An ankle stress fracture usually occurs some time after a person begins a new activity that involves significant impact of the foot, such as hiking, running or field sports. They can also occur in an active person who quickly increases their activity, for example when someone who is accustomed to jogging a few miles a week begins to train for a 26-mile marathon.
What is a broken ankle?
A broken ankle is a fracture or multiple fractures of one or more of three bones in the ankle joint: the tibia (shinbone), the fibula (outer bone of the lower leg), and the talus.
What are the different types of ankle fractures?
Because the ankle joint comprises three bones, there are numerous types of ankle fractures. Doctors think of the ankle as having three sides and a "roof," and fractures can occur in each of these areas or in combination.
What are the symptoms of a broken ankle?
The most common symptoms of an ankle fracture are pain and swelling, either of which may be present only in the ankle region itself or spread to parts of the foot or up toward the knee. Any pain will usually be more intense if the injured person tries to put weight on the ankle.
How is a broken ankle diagnosed?
X-rays are usually required to determine whether there is a broken bone as opposed to a soft-tissue injury like a sprain, since ankle sprains and breaks have similar symptoms. Other radiology imaging, such as a CT scan or MRI, may be needed to determine the full scope of the injury.
What is the recovery time of a broken ankle?
It takes about six weeks for bones to heal. It may take longer for ligaments or other soft tissues to heal as well.
What is the bump on the inside of the ankle called?
Bimalleolar ankle fracture: This second-most common type involves breaks of both the lateral malleolus and of the medial malleolus, the knobby bump on the inside of the ankle (in the lower portion of the tibia).
How to C ompress?
C ompress by wrapping ankle lightly (not tightly) with an "ace" bandage or elastic ankle brace. Do not try to align the bones.
What to do if you break your ankle bone?
The doctor also may do a CT or CAT scan, or an MRI to determine if surgery is needed. If needed, the doctor will set the broken bone back in place and immobilize the ankle with a splint, cast, or other device. Surgery may be necessary to repair the break.
How to stop bleeding from a swollen ear?
2. Stop Bleeding. Apply steady, direct pressure with a cloth for 15 minutes and elevate the wound. If blood soaks through, apply another cloth over the first and seek immediate medical attention. 3.
What to do if your ankle is numb?
Has a numb, cold, pale, or blue ankle /foot. Is unable to move the foot. Is in shock (faint, pale, with rapid shallow breathing) 1. Leave Protruding Bone Alone. If a bone has broken through the skin, don't push it back into place. Cover the area with a clean bandage and seek immediate medical attention. 2.
What to do if medical attention is not immediately available?
If medical attention is not immediately available, apply RICE therapy:
What is an Ankle Fracture?
When a bone breaks or cracks, the injury is called a fracture. In the ankle, three different bones can be fractured:
What is the talus?
The talus supports the lower ends of the tibia and fibula, and it forms a solid base for the normal range of ankle movements. Although there are many ways to fracture an ankle bone, the most common injuries involve a sharp twist of the ankle or a direct impact that fractures at least one of the bony knobs in the ankle.
What is the bone that is located in the lower leg?
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, which 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.
Why are ankle fractures so common?
People involved in a wide range of athletic activities, including ballet dancers, snowboarders, basketball players and skydivers, are at high risk of ankle fractures because of the physical demands placed on their ankles. Ankle fractures also occur during slips on icy pavement, falls from a high place, or direct impacts to the ankle during a car crash or motorcycle accident. High-impact ankle injuries are especially dangerous if the bone pokes through the skin and is exposed to the air. The open wound allows bacteria to contaminate the broken bone, and greatly increases the risk of infection.
What are the symptoms of a fractured ankle?
Symptoms. If you have a fractured ankle, your symptoms probably will include: 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 open fractures, severe ankle deformity, with portions of the fractured bone visible through broken skin.
How long does it take to heal a broken ankle?
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.
How to repair a broken ankle?
If you have more extensive damage to your ankle, or the fragments of broken bone are separated far from one another, your doctor will perform surgery to repair your fractured ankle with special screws or wires. Injuries resulting in broken skin require antibiotics given intravenously (into a vein) to prevent infection.
What is the purpose of X-rays for ankle fractures?
The main goal of ankle fracture surgery is to put the ankle joint back in place and to stabilize the bones to heal. Getting the ankle joint back in place helps to decrease the risk of developing arthritis of the ankle. Stabilizing the ankle with plates and ...
What is the difference between a tibia and a fibula?
The tibia has a medial (inside) malleoli and a posterior malleoli. The fibula forms the lateral (outside) malleoli. A broken ankle (ankle fracture) occurs when the malleoli are broken. These fractures are very common. Ankle fractures happen with twisting of the ankle, falls, car accidents, or other injury.
What is the difference between a left and right ankle fracture?
Left, a bimalleolar ankle fracture before surgery. Right, the ankle fracture after it has been fixed.
What is the talus of an ankle?
the fibula, which forms the outside of the ankle. the talus, a small bone that sits between the tibia and fibula and the heel bone. The ends of these bones are called malleoli.
What are the long term complications of ankle surgery?
Potential long-term problems after ankle fracture surgery include ankle joint stiffness, weakness, and arthritis.
How are broken bones held together?
Like a jigsaw puzzle, the pieces of the broken bones are placed back together (open reduction). The broken bones are then held together (internal fixation) in this correct position with metal plates and/or screws.
How long does it take for an ankle to recover from surgery?
Some patients may need physical therapy for their ankle to regain full movement and strength. While everyone is different, it may take up to a year after surgery for some patients to regain ankle function.