At any time of the year, the likelihood of injury to the musculoskeletal system remains high, so the question of whether it is possible to break the ankle remains open. Very often, damage to the ankle occurs because during movement it bears the greatest load. This damage is dangerous because it will require a long recovery in the future.
Features
The ankle, or it is also called the ankle, consists of the fibula and the tibia. Depending on which of them received damage, a classification is carried out. The simplest is a fracture of the lower limb in the ankle without displacement. One of the most difficult is the three-malleolar, in this case, the small, tibia and posterior edge of the distal part of the tibia is injured. If there is a fracture of the outer and inner ankle, then this is a bimalleolar fracture. There are injuries with subluxation and even dislocation of the foot. They require surgical treatment and subsequent long rehabilitation. There are a large number of different classifications of ankle fractures that an orthopedic traumatologist uses in his daily work. The most common division is open and closed.
Symptomatics
If the leg is broken at the ankle, then the person will be tormented by pain in the damaged area, which can be both sharp and aching. Small bruises and hematomas will appear under the skin. If an ankle fracture is observed, then the foot may be deformed, if the skin breaks, blood will begin to flow from the wound, and broken bones will come out.
A broken ankle will make itself known:
- crunching due to broken bones;
- foot swelling;
- presence of edema;
- appearance of chills;
- inability to stand up;
- numbness of the diseased limb.
Discomfort can occur both immediately after an injury, and after a while when loading on a sore leg. This often happens if the ankle is broken without displacement. In this case, moderate symptoms are most often observed. A characteristic sign: if, when pressed into the center of the ankle, the pain is located at the site of the fracture. The formation of puffiness occurs due to damage to the capillaries, which are responsible for the exchange of fluids between tissues. Swelling appears in the ankle area. Sometimes the only sign of a fracture is hemorrhage in the heel and hematomas. If the ankle is broken with a displacement, then pain shock is noted with extensive damage to other parts of the body.
Reasons
Often a person gets such an injury for the reason:
- bad fall;
- getting hit in the joint area;
- tucking the foot.
The most likely to get this kind of fracture is observed in:
- older people;
- children;
- pregnant and lactating due to lack of calcium.
People who don't eat calcium-rich foods and who have medical conditions are prone to getting this damage:
- bones;
- adrenals and kidneys;
- thyroid.
Diagnosis
To the question of if you broke your ankle, what to do, there is only one answer - to see a doctor for a mandatory x-ray examination in frontal, lateral and oblique projections. The patient in various protections occupies a different position. During the x-ray in direct protection, the person lies on his back, while bending the knee joint. Lateral projection is also performed in a supine position, on the side on which the fracture occurred. The patient bends the knees, and pushes the broken lower limb forward. The oblique type of protection is similar to the side one, only you need to lie on your he althy side, a pillow is placed between your legs, and the broken ankle must be tilted to the table.
Pronation-abduction fracture
This kind of damage appears when the foot is turned a lot. In this situation, a detachment occurs at the base of the inner malleolus with a parallelfracture of the outer part. The latter occurs at the articular junction or slightly higher, where the fibula is at its thinnest.
Supination-adduction fracture
This type of injury occurs due to excessive inward rotation of the foot. The upper part of the lateral malleolus may come off or a fracture occurs at the level of the junction of the joint. Basically, the line of damage is located higher than in the previous case, the lower inner part of the tibia is also covered.
Rotational Fracture
Rotational type according to the degree of destruction is considered the most dangerous and difficult. It can be obtained during a twisting movement on the lower leg with a fixed foot. Such an injury is fraught with:
- fracture of the tibia of the splinter type;
- dislocation of the foot in any direction;
- a fracture of the tibia of a rotational nature.
Isolated extensor fracture of the anterior edge of the tibia
This injury is a displaced fracture of the ankle, which can occur with a direct blow to the foot or increased dorsiflexion. A fragment like a triangle is formed on the anterior surface part. An isolated flexion fracture of the posterior edge of the tibia is very rare.
First Aid
A broken ankle is well treated if first aid is correctly provided. If you find even a few symptoms, you need to call an ambulance. First, the victim must takestationary position. It is necessary to put a roller under the injured limb, making it at least out of clothes, so that the leg is at a low height. Before she swells up, take off her shoes. It is forbidden to touch the injured joint, because improper handling can lead to a closed fracture to an open one. In order to relieve swelling, you need to apply something cold.
The open form of the fracture needs to stop the bleeding. For these purposes, you will need a tourniquet, which can be built from any thing and applied above the wound. Only after that, a cold compress is applied near it, which will help to quickly stop the bleeding and relieve swelling.
It is necessary to try to immobilize the limb with a splint that can be built from improvised materials:
- branches;
- plywood;
- shovels and more.
It is forbidden to try to put protruding bones in place or connect them, this is fraught with further ruptures of soft tissues and the spread of fragments. If the victim is unable to endure the pain, then it is allowed to drink an anesthetic before the doctor arrives.
Treatment
After the diagnosis is confirmed, the doctor will begin to restore the normal position of the bone fragments. For this case, plaster bandages, special devices are used, it can be a derotational boot. Victims ask if the ankle is broken, how long to walk in a cast - until the bone is completely healed.
Due to the presence of a plaster cast, freedommovement is limited, besides it is forbidden to step on a leg in a cast. The time of wearing it is determined by:
- injury complexity;
- type - fracture open, closed, with or without displacement;
- collateral damage;
- complications.
If your ankle is broken, how long to walk in a cast? The timing of wearing a plaster splint depends on the characteristics of the restoration of the tissues of a particular person. Everyone's bones heal differently. On average, it takes 4 to 7 weeks to heal a simple fracture, but if there is a displacement, then it will take at least 4 months to heal.
If the case is severe, surgery will be required. Fragments are fixed with metal screws and plates.
Treatment of an open ankle fracture is performed using the Ilizarov compression-distraction apparatus. It will have to be worn until the bone heals. To prevent the inflammatory process from developing again, the patient is prescribed to drink a course of antibiotics. To exclude the occurrence of infection, the surface of the skin is treated with antiseptic solutions. If the patient is treated in a hospital, he is discharged if there is a stable positive dynamics, namely, the correct fusion of the bone and the healing of damaged skin.
How long a broken ankle takes to recover is affected by the age of the victim, general he alth and the presence of chronic diseases. Unlike men and women in children, such an injury heals much faster. The speed of bone fusion is also affected by the way the plaster is applied. Extension of the termwearing and a slowdown in the recovery process are observed if the dressing is too tight, or the dressing is unevenly distributed. This leads to impaired blood flow and fluid outflow.
Rehab
It is important not to neglect the recommendations of your doctor. Bed rest should be observed. It is impossible to lean on a limb and stand on it for 1 month without the use of auxiliary items - crutches. To prevent swelling of the ankle, the leg should be at rest and on some kind of hill, it can be a pillow.
The healing process will be accelerated by various procedures, including exercise therapy and massage, the main goal of which is to restore the mobility of the foot for free walking without assistance as soon as possible.
A broken ankle can hurt while wearing a special device or a cast, as well as after they are removed. This is because, as a result of prolonged inactivity, the muscles and ligaments become weak. To correct this situation, classes with a rehabilitation doctor will help. Therapeutic exercise contributes to:
- eliminate blood flow disorders;
- muscle strengthening;
- gradual return of limb natural mobility.
The state of blood vessels begins to return to normal, the risk of developing muscle atrophy is excluded. With regular exercise, the fracture heals much faster. In the photo of a broken ankle, you can see that such a problem must be treated.
Physiotherapy treatments such as magnetotherapy and electrophoresis help bones regenerate as soon as possible. The same tasks are performed by a special bandage. When wearing this device, which tightly fits the leg, repeated injuries, sprains and fractures are excluded. The bandage evenly distributes the load on the affected joint, which helps relieve tension, which is often the cause of pain.
If the leg continues to hurt even 3 months after the fracture, you should definitely consult a doctor. One of the most common reasons for the presence of such a long-term pain syndrome is an incorrect diagnosis or illiterate treatment. In these situations, surgery is often required. How long a broken ankle heals also depends on nutrition. If there are mistakes, it will take much longer to heal.
Doctors' recommendations
Doctors advise not to skip procedures, no matter how difficult it may be. When it will be possible to lean lightly on the leg, it should not be subjected to heavy load. The sooner after the removal of the immobilizing bandage, the person will develop the muscles of the leg and the affected joint that are in long isolation, the faster the full motor activity of the broken ankle is restored. However, doctors recommend not to rush, everything must be done, listening to your own feelings. At first, most likely, any movement will cause pain, but you need not to retreat and continue to restore motor function. At the slightest suspicion of a broken ankle, you should consult a traumatologist. Otherwise, the problem will only worsen, and he alth will be at great risk. Only timely treatment can lead to a complete cure and restoration of leg function.
