What is an Ankle Fracture?
An ankle fracture is a break in the continuity of any bone that makes up your ankle joint. If you have fractured a bone in your ankle, there is a likelihood that you may have damaged ligaments (ankle sprains) supporting the joint in the process.
Examples of fractures in your ankle include:
- Lateral malleolus fracture (bony lump on the outside of your ankle)
- Medial malleolus fracture (bony lump on the inside of your ankle)
- Bi/Trimalleolar fracture (when either of your malleoli break in 2 or 3 places)
Above: Checking alignment for instability following an ankle fractureWhat causes Ankle Fracture?
There are several ways that you could fracture your ankle. Ankle fractures usually result from force to the bone by:
- Tripping or Falling
- Twisting your ankle
- Direct impact - e.g. a kick or hit in football or boxing, car accident
What are the symptoms of an Ankle Fracture?
If you have an ankle fracture, below are some of the symptoms you may experience:
- Pain in the area of injury
- Bruising quickly following the injury
- Visible deformity
- Swelling in your ankle/foot
- Unable to weight bear on your injured foot
- Tenderness
- Loss of sensation in your foot/ankle
- Tingling or pins and needles
- Altered sensation in your foot/ankle
Above: Following an ankle fracture. your ankle with require strenghteningHow is an Ankle Fracture Diagnosed?
Severe ankle sprains can sometimes feel same as a fracture but different treatment is required. This is why it is important to get your injury assessed if you have any of the symptoms mentioned. Seek medical attention through accident and emergency, it is likely that you will require an X-ray.
Depending on the severity of your ankle fracture ??? which can be identified through X-ray results, your ankle may need time to rest. Most ankle fractures will be put into a cast, and you will be asked not to weight bear on your foot for a minimum of 6 weeks.
Other more severe fractures may require metal work such as screws, wires or plates to help stabilise your ankle before healing begins. Your doctor will make this decision. For either case, it is likely you will require an assistive device to walk, such as crutches
What would a physiotherapy assessment for an Ankle Fracture involve?
Once your ankle fracture has had time to begin healing, you will have follow up x-rays. When your ankle is strong enough, physiotherapy can help to strengthen and increase the mobility in your ankle and foot, and help you to slowly bear more weight onto your foot.
An initial physiotherapy assessment will allow evaluation of your ankle to provide the most suitable treatment for you. At Liverpool Physio, your first appointment would be divided into two parts:
Subjective
A conversation between yourself and our physiotherapist to gain an understanding about your lifestyle and what you want to progress back to, the cause of your injury, and your progress since your fracture.
Objective
An assessment of your current pain, range of movement, walking (depending on your weight bearing status), scar (if you have had surgery) and foot/lower leg strength.
Joints and muscles above and below the point of your injury will be assessed as your foot and calf muscles are closely linked to the ankle. You will also be assessed carrying out functional activities such as walking, jumping and balancing on one leg.
What would physiotherapy treatment for an Ankle Fracture involve?
If you have an ankle fracture, some of the treatments we would be able to provide you with at Liverpool Physio are listed below:
The treatment you receive will help to decrease the pain and swelling in your ankle through the use of:
- Joint mobilisations
- Stretches
- Balance re-training with use of wobble boards, trampets and more
- Foot/ankle sensation re-training if you suffered from any nerve damage
- Heat treatments
- Light massage
- Strengthening exercises
- Advice on activity modification
- Advice on suitable footwear
How can I arrange a physiotherapy assessment for an Ankle Fracture?
If you are experiencing sharp pain or swelling in your foot/ankle, and it is affecting your normal activity, you would benefit from an appointment with one of our experienced physiotherapists.
You can contact us directly to arrange an assessment and we can advise you if further treatment is recommended, or give you details on self-management for minor cases. To arrange an appointment please email office@liverpoolphysio.co.uk or call today on 0151 558 0077.
Summary
Ankle fractures can easily be mistaken for ankle sprains, but require different treatment. For this reason, it is important that you get your ankle assessed as soon as you realise there is a problem. At Liverpool Physio we will ensure you get the best treatment for your injury.
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