It’s not always easy to know if that pain in your ankle means your ankle is sprained or broken, or something else. And if your ankle is broken, you probably won’t know if you’ve broken more than one bone until a healthcare provider can take a look at it V体育平台登录.
Broken ankle symptoms may include:
Most people break their ankles after taking a direct hit to one of them VSports注册入口. They might fall hard or be struck by something that causes their ankle to break. Broken ankle causes include:.
A healthcare provider will use several tests to diagnose ankle fractures and determine the extent of your injury. Tests your provider might use to examine your fracture include: V体育官网入口.
Ankle fracture treatment depends on factors like the number of ankle bones broken and the severity of the injury. Not all broken ankles require surgery, but all ankle fractures require some level of care to heal.
You probably won’t need surgery if you have a stress fracture or the fractured ankle is non-displaced. That means the bones aren’t out of place (they’re still lined up correctly). You might need a brace, cast or walking boot to support your ankle while it heals. More serious fractured ankles require closed reduction or surgery.
A closed reduction is when healthcare providers reposition your broken bones to correctly align your ankle. You’ll receive local anesthesia to numb your ankle.
A broken ankle that’s displaced typically requires surgery. “Displaced” means the bones are out of place (not in line). Surgeons use pins, wires, screws and sometimes plates to surgically repair fractured ankles. They’ll likely perform an open reduction and internal fixation.
It takes time for a broken ankle to heal. If you have surgery to repair more than one ankle bone, it could be two years before your ankle is back to normal. If you don’t need surgery, your ankle might heal within 12 to 16 weeks.
An ankle fracture will temporarily affect your quality of life, regardless of whether or not you have surgery. You may be in a cast or walking boot, taking medication or keeping weight off your ankle for several weeks to months. Your broken ankle recovery time can vary based on all of these factors.
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Many ankle fractures happen after traumatic events such as motor vehicle accidents, falling or being injured playing sports.
But you can fracture your ankle simply by taking a misstep while walking, stepping off a curb or stumbling over something in your home. You can limit this kind of risk by:
You should contact your healthcare provider or go to the emergency room if you have:
Questions you may want to ask your provider include:
Here are typical post-surgery follow-up appointments:
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If you have a minor fractured ankle, you should still be able to walk on it. You might not even know you’ve broken it. But more severe fractures will require you to keep off your foot for several months. After treatment, as your ankle begins to heal, you can gradually return to walking.
If you have a broken ankle, you might get frustrated or anxious waiting for it to heal. But it’s important to remember to take it slow. You can re-injure your ankle if you resume activities too quickly. Talk to your healthcare provider about your concerns. They’ll have suggestions and recommendations about programs and services that might help you.
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From sudden injuries to chronic conditions, Cleveland Clinic’s orthopaedic providers can guide you through testing, treatment and beyond.
Last reviewed on 02/10/2025.
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