A broken ankle  occurs when one or more joints are broken. A fracture of the ankle restricts a person’s activities. When these disabling fractures occur in the foot, they restrict all physical movements, such as walking, doing sports, and carrying loads. Since it is a serious type of fracture, it requires surgical intervention in some cases as a treatment method. Even the treatment of a simple ankle fracture can take weeks or months. This type of fracture is seen in children and adults  as a result of trauma. However, it is most common in adults. The treatment process varies according to age, type of fracture, cause of fracture, and whether the person has chronic diseases or not. In the event of a broken ankle, the person should seek medical attention as soon as possible.

What Is A Broken Ankle?

There are three different types of bones in the ankle, called the  tibia, fibula, and talus.  These bone types form the ankle. Therefore, if one or more of the tibia, fibula, and talus are damaged, an ankle fracture occurs. The largest bone in the lower leg is the tibia. The fibula is a smaller bone in the lower leg. The talus is a bone at the junction of the fibula and tibia. The talus is therefore a kind of connection point for the fibula and tibia. When these bone types are severely damaged, they are immediately affected and cause an ankle fracture. The treatment method and the level of a fracture depend on the condition of these three bone types. If more than one joint is broken, the treatment process can be even longer. As a result, these bone types are especially important in the treatment of a broken ankle.

Types Of Broken Ankles

As with any type of fracture, there are  different types of ankle fractures.  More than other fractures, these fractures affect different parts of the ankle. The types of ankle fractures are briefly described as follows:

• Medial malleolus fractures
• Lateral malleolus fractures
• Posterior malleolus fracture
• Bimalleolar ankle fracture
• Trimalleolar fracture
• Bimalleolar equivalent fracture
• Maisonneuve fracture
• Pilon fracture
• Syndesmotic injury

Since all these types of ankle fractures affect different areas, they also help in determining the treatment method. It is possible to diagnose these types with X-rays. Therefore, once one of these fractures is diagnosed, the patient’s treatment process begins.

How Do Broken Ankles Happen?

A broken ankle is a condition that often occurs as a result of trauma. Falling from a high place or being under something very heavy can cause a broken ankle. It can also be caused by a car accident, sports injuries, or sudden movements. Sprains and twists of the foot can also cause an ankle fracture.

Ankle fractures can also occur as a result of osteoporosis, especially in the elderly. However, it is usually possible to suffer a broken ankle as a result of a severe sprain. Suddenly losing one’s balance and falling also brings this discomfort. All of these factors contribute to significant symptoms.

Symptoms Of Broken Ankle

A broken ankle caused by severe trauma has some important symptoms. Severe pain and soreness, especially in the ankle area, are among the most prominent symptoms. It is also possible to hear the sound of the fracture as it occurs. The symptoms of a broken ankle that the patient experiences are as follows:

• Inability to step on the foot, inability to walk
• Severe pain and aching sensation in the ankle
• Ankle swelling and bruising
• Ankle posture disorder

As a result of all these symptoms, the person becomes unable to move and experiences severe discomfort. In addition to these symptoms, some severe trauma can cause damage to tendons and ligaments. As a result, whenever these symptoms appear, you should see a doctor right away. After examining and observing some results, the doctor will start the appropriate treatment.

Treatment For Broken Ankle

Treatment for the broken ankle  is determined by the doctor according to the type and level of the fracture. The presence of ligament and tendon problems is also among the factors that determine the treatment method. At this point, surgical and non-surgical treatments can be applied. If there is no serious damage and a simple fracture has occurred, successful results can be achieved with a plaster cast. Depending on the condition of the fracture, plaster boots can also be used instead of plaster. Plaster treatment, which is one of the nonsurgical treatment methods, is determined according to the results of the X-rays taken. Furthermore, the doctor should be checked regularly during the treatment process.

However, in the case of severely damaged fractures,  surgical treatment  may be necessary. If there is a medial malleolus fracture in the ankle fracture, surgical intervention should be performed. If the damage to the ankle bones is large, the broken bones are surgically replaced with medical materials such as plates and screws. The treatment applied according to the type of fracture in surgical methods is given below:

• External malleolus: It is common for complex ankle injuries to be treated surgically at the external malleolus of the ankle. It is necessary to open the fracture site and bring together all the broken pieces. Plates and screws are used to fix the structure.
• Posterior malleolus: Displaced or large fragment fractures of the posterior malleolus, as well as the external and internal malleolus, require surgical treatment.
• Deltoid ligament: It is located on the inside of the ankle. If this ligament ruptures, balance cannot be maintained, so it needs to be repaired. The deltoid ligament is repaired through surgery using medical materials known as Ancor.
• Syndesmosis: A syndesmosis is a connection between the shin and calf bone. A rupture of this connection requires surgical intervention. A temporary connection is made with tightropes and screws made of special medical materials.

All these treatment methods are applied according to specific factors, such as the level of the fracture, the person’s health condition, and the type of fracture.  The duration of the treatment  also depends on the patient’s willingness to take the doctor’s warnings seriously and attend regular checkups. In this process, there are some warnings that the patient with a fractured ankle should pay attention to. These warnings and recommendations are given below:

• Foods containing vitamins A, C, and D, which are important for bone health, should be consumed.
• Smoking and alcohol use should be avoided. Otherwise, the desired recovery may not be achieved.
• Get plenty of rest and avoid movement.
• The person should not use painkillers and antibiotics on his/her own. These pharmaceuticals come with a doctor’s stamp of approval.
• Weight-bearing should be avoided until full recovery is achieved.

If the doctor’s warnings  are heeded along with all these, the healing process will take place normally. Full recovery of the ankle is possible between 12-16 months. Work or school life is also decided by the doctor according to the level of treatment. Since it is a sensitive treatment process, more attention is required than usual.

When the treatment process is over, rehabilitation begins.  Rehabilitation is a treatment method  that accelerates the healing process in all fractures and enables movement. A personalized program is prepared, and exercises are performed in the presence of a physiotherapist. After the necessary treatments, the person can see an improvement in the ankle. Therefore, the treatment process of an ankle fracture, which is a delicate and long process, can be summarized in this way.