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Find out how to tell if your ankle is broken (fractured) and when to get medical advice, plus how a broken ankle is treated and how long it takes to heal.
- Overview
- Broken ankle symptoms
- Broken ankle symptoms vs. sprained ankle symptoms
- Broken ankle causes
- Types of ankle break injuries
- What to do if you break your ankle
- Broken ankle treatment
- Broken ankle recovery time
- Broken ankle recovery tips
- The takeaway
A broken ankle is also called a fractured ankle. It happens when one or more bones in the ankle joint break. If you’ve been injured, have pain, and can’t walk or move your foot, you may have broken your ankle.
The ankle joint is made up of the following bones:
•The tibia is the larger bone in your lower leg. It’s also called the shinbone.
•The fibula, also called the calf bone, is the smaller bone in your lower leg.
•The talus is the small bone between the heel bone, or calcaneus, and the tibia and fibula.
A broken ankle is very painful.
You might hear the bone break at the time of injury. It may sound like a snapping or grinding noise. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), other symptoms include:
•severe pain
•swelling
•tenderness
•bruising
•difficultly walking or moving foot
A broken ankle isn’t the same as a sprained ankle. A sprained ankle happens when ligaments tear or stretch. Ligaments are tough tissue that connects one bone to another.
If your ankle is sprained, you’ll have pain and swelling. The type of sprain will determine the degree of pain and swelling: a grade 1 sprain will have a little swelling, but a grade 3 sprain may have significant swelling. You may or may not be able to put weight on your ankle just after the injury.
A broken ankle can be just as painful as, if not more painful than, a sprain. Right after breaking an ankle, you may or may not be able to walk or place weight on the ankle. It depends on the type and cause of the fracture (a motor vehicle accident versus a fall, for example). You may or may not have severe bruising and swelling.
The only way to determine if there is a fracture or sprain is to visit a doctor.
To diagnose your injury, your doctor will do different tests. They might include:
•Physical exam. The doctor will examine your ankle for swelling and tenderness. If there is tenderness over a ligament, the injury is most likely a sprain. If tenderness is over the bone, it’s most likely a fracture. They might also move your foot around to determine your range of motion.
A broken ankle occurs when too much force is placed on the ankle. The most common causes include:
•Trips and falls. Losing your balance may lead to trips and falls, which can place excessive weight on your ankle. This might happen if you walk on an uneven surface, wear ill-fitting shoes, or walk around without proper lighting.
•Heavy impact. The force of a jump or fall can result in a broken ankle. It can happen even if you jump from a low height.
•Missteps. You can break your ankle if you put your foot down awkwardly. Your ankle might twist or roll to the side as you put weight on it.
•Sports. High impact sports involve intense movements that place stress on the joints, including the ankle. Examples of high impact sports include soccer, football, and basketball.
•Car collisions. The sudden, heavy impact of a car accident can cause broken ankles. Often, these injuries need surgical repair.
Lateral malleolus fracture
This break occurs at the bottom of the fibula. It involves the bony “knob” outside of your ankle called the lateral malleolus, according to a 2019 study. Lateral malleolus fractures are the most common type of ankle break.
Nondisplaced vs. displaced ankle fractures
Penn Medicine says that ankle fractures are often categorized as either displaced or nondisplaced. With a displaced fracture, fragments of the bones that are broken may be separated or misaligned. On the other hand, with a nondisplaced fracture, the broken bones remain in the correct position and retain their usual structure.
Medial malleolus fracture
A medial malleolus fracture happens at the end of the tibia. A 2019 review indicates that it specifically affects the medial malleolus, which is the knob on the inside of your ankle.
If you think you have a broken ankle, visit a doctor as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, the National Health Service (NHS) says that you can do several other things to take care of yourself, including:
•Keep weight off your foot. Elevate your ankle and prop it up on cushions.
•Apply ice. This will minimize pain and swelling.
•Apply pressure. If you’re bleeding, wrap the wound with a clean dressing.
If an auto collision or injury caused your broken ankle, or if the bone is sticking out of the skin, get medical help immediately.
Ice
You can apply ice to reduce pain and swelling right after the injury. Wrap it in a towel before placing it on the skin.
Walking boot, cast, or splint
A small 2017 study suggests that mild ankle breaks can be treated with a walking boot, cast, or splint. These treatments keep the bone in place as it heals. For more serious injuries, you’ll need to get surgery before using a boot, cast, or splint.
Crutches
Crutches help you walk around without bearing weight on the injured ankle. You can use them while wearing a boot, cast, or splint.
The AAOS says that broken ankles generally heal within 6 to 12 weeks. Injuries that don’t need surgery may heal in 6 weeks. During this time, your doctor may take regular X-rays to check on the bone.
Injuries that need surgery can take 12 weeks or longer to heal. Your total recovery time depends on your injury, age, and overall health.
During recovery, it’s important to follow your doctor’s recommendations. This will help your broken ankle heal properly. Here’s what you can do to ensure a smooth recovery:
•Avoid pressure. Try not to use your injured foot. When you walk or move, don’t apply weight on your ankle until your doctor allows you to do so.
•Rest. Don’t carry heavy items or play sports. If you need to go somewhere, ask family or friends. Your doctor will tell you when it’s safe to use your ankle.
•Physical therapy. When your bones start to heal, your doctor might have you do physical therapy. A physical therapist can show you how to exercise your ankle. These moves will strengthen the ankle bones.
•Eat healthy. Like all injuries, a broken ankle needs enough nutrients to heal. Eating a balanced diet will support recovery.
•If you smoke, consider quitting. Smoking slows down bone healing. Cigarette smoke has ingredients that disrupt your body’s ability to make new bone tissue. Quitting smoking can be difficult, but a doctor can help you create a smoking cessation plan right for you.
A broken or fractured ankle occurs when one or more bones in your ankle break. These bones include the tibia, fibula, and talus.
Usually, ankle breaks are caused by falls, high impact sports, car accidents, or injuries that place excessive force on the ankle.
Treatment depends on the severity of the break. If you have a minor ankle break, you might get a walking boot, cast, or splint. If it’s serious, you might need surgery to realign the bone.
Recovery can take 6 to 12 weeks. Severe ankle breaks that need surgery may take longer.
Aug 2, 2021 · Here are some symptoms you might experience if you have a broken ankle: You have sudden, severe pain in your ankle. You can't put weight on your ankle. It hurts when you touch your ankle. Your ankle is bruised. Your ankle is swollen. Can I walk on a broken ankle? It would be difficult and painful to walk on a broken ankle.
Mar 26, 2022 · A CT scan may help your doctor determine the best treatment for your broken ankle. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) uses radio waves and a strong magnetic field to create very detailed images of the ligaments that help hold your ankle together.
Mar 15, 2023 · Fracture Locations. Common Types. Symptoms. Treatment. Broken ankles may involve one or more of the three bones of the ankle joint—the tibia, fibula, and talus. There are different types of ankle fractures—lateral malleolus and bimalleolar fractures, for example—all of which are defined by exactly which parts of the ankle are affected.
Mar 26, 2022 · A broken or fractured ankle is an injury to the bone. You may experience a broken ankle from a twisting injury from a simple misstep or fall, or from direct trauma during a car crash, for example.
People also ask
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Apr 12, 2023 · Ankle Fracture Symptoms. Signs and symptoms of ankle injuries and fractures tend to be obvious. Pain is the most common complaint. Often the pain will not come from the exact area of the...
