Ankle Fracture
F.A.Q. | Frequently Asked Questions
Will I be allowed to weight bear on my leg?
It is important you follow the doctor’s advice. This advice will be specific to your ankle.
With some ankle fractures that are relatively minor, you are able to weight bear on your ankle. If this is the case, you will not be placed in plaster but in a special boot. You will be allowed to weight bear as tolerated.
All other types of ankle fractures require being placed in plaster. When you are in plaster you may not take any weight on that leg. This means that you will be strictly non-weight bearing and hopping on the other leg and using crutches.
Your recovery will depend on the type of the fracture and method of treatment.What should I do if I have a problem?
If you experience severe pain, excessive swelling, inflammation or discharge please report it to your GP. If you cannot contact your GP you should contact A&E.
Will I be ok long-term? What should I expect in the future?
Usually, the more complicated unstable fractures are associated with poorer recovery. This is not however a hard and fast rule. In general, you should expect some degree of difficulty with the following aspects of ankle movement:
- Flexibility
- Range of movement (ROM) – this term refers to how far you can rotate your foot in relation to your leg. In the short-term period after the plaster is removed, many people notice they have noticably limited range. With physiotherapy and time this gradually improves, however subtle limitations may persist long-term. Your surgeon and physio should be able to give you some idea of what you should expect, however keep in mind that people heal differently and it is impossible to predict precisely how well the return to function will be.
- Osteoarthritis and other joints – it's important to remember that the ankle is part of a systeminvolved in walking. This system includes the knee, hip and lower back as well as the other leg, and damage to the one part of the system can affect any other part. This sometimes means that slight deformities in the ankle increase the risk of developing arthritis in the knee, hip or back later in life.
References
McCormack, A. P., Chapter 30: Ankle Fractures, 'Treatment & Rehabilitation of Fractures', Hoppenfeld, S., Murthy, V. (Eds), Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, USA, 2000.
Porter, D. A., 'Functional Outcome after Operative Treatment for Ankle Fractures in Young Athletes: A Retrospective Case Series', Foot and Ankle International, Vol. 29, No. 9, September 2008, pp 887-894.
Skinner, H. B., 'Current Diagnosis and Treatment in Orthopaedics', 4th Ed.
Yufit, P., Seligson D., 'Malleolar ankle fractures. A guide to evaluation and treatment', Orthopaedics and Trauma, Vol. 24, Iss. 4, August 2010, pp 286-297.
Wang, R., et al., 'One year follow-up after operative ankle fractures: A prospective gait analysis study with a multi-segment foot model', Gait & Posture, Vol. 31, Iss. 2, February 2010, pp 234-240.
