Broken Ankle Treatment

A broken ankle can be a serious injury. In all cases, it requires immediate treatment. Broken ankle treatment will vary from patient to patient. Understanding the different treatments available will help put patients more at ease if they ever break and ankle and require them. Before treatment can begin, x-rays are taken, and possibly other tests, to determine the extent of the injury.

Elevation and Ice

It is important to control swelling immediately following the injury. Keeping swelling to a minimum is also a crucial part of treating this injury. Controlling swelling will help to limit damage to the tissues surrounding the joint and will help to control pain. Elevating the foot will also help to reduce any swelling and limit any further swelling.

Splinting

Once the patient arrives to the emergency room, splinting is done. Patients will often be splinted for a few days prior to being casted as well to allow swelling and to make the ankle easier to ice. If the displacement is not that bad, the splint may be placed on without manipulating the ankle at all. If the displacement requires some form of action, reduction will be performed prior to splinting. The patient will be administered anesthesia and then the doctor will “put the ankle back in place” with the purpose of improving the alignment of the bones.

Cast

Depending on the swelling, a cast is typically put on a few days after the injury. Casts are made of fiberglass or plaster. If the fracture is unstable, plaster is most often used because it is able to keep a bone in place by better molding to the skin. If the fracture is stable, fiberglass is often used.

Crutches

For a while, patients will have to use crutches as a broken ankle treatment. If it important to keep weight off of the affected ankle so that it can heal. In some cases, crutches are necessary for several months. The patient’s doctor will determine how long crutches may be used based on the type of fracture, the extent of the injury, and how well a patient is healing.

Surgery

For a variety of ankle breaks, surgery is necessary, though not always. The type of ankle fracture and how to ankle looks on an x-ray will determine whether or not a patient needs surgery. Surgery has two main goals. These goals include achieving alignment of the broken ankle and then maintaining this alignment. After a broken ankle, arthritis is common. Performing surgery to achieve an ankle joint that looks normal is very important in helping to reduce the patient’s risk of developing arthritis. After surgery, physical therapy is often recommended.

Resources

Mayo Clinic. (2009). Broken Ankle/Broken Foot. Retrieved on February 27, 2011 from the Mayo Clinic: https://www.mayoclinic.com/health/broken-ankle/DS00951

eMedicineHealth. (2011). Ankle Fracture. Retrieved on February 27, 2011 from eMedicineHealth: https://www.emedicinehealth.com/ankle_fracture/article_em.htm