1. More Than One Ankle Bone
The ankle uses two separate joints to regulate your foot's movement. The tibia (shinbone), fibula (lower leg bone) and talus (ankle bone) form the upper joint of the ankle, which allows your foot to move up and down. The bottom joint, called the subtalar, connects to the calcaneus, or heel bone, and regulates the side-to-side swinging motion of your foot. It takes three tissues, or tendons, to hold the bones and joints together.
2. X-Ray the Ankle
Without an X-ray, it may be difficult to distinguish a severe sprain from a broken ankle. The symptoms for both injuries include severe pain, swelling, inability to support the body's weight and bruising. Dislocation or an ankle fracture may cause deformity. Depending on which area sustains the sprain, a severe sprain may take longer to heal than broken bones and may require crutches until your ankle recovers. Some doctors may also order a computed tomography (CT) scan to locate additional damage.
3. Set the Bones
In a clean break, a doctor resets the ankle bones and secures the ankle with a splint until the swelling stops, which may be several days. Then the doctor puts a cast on the leg. The type of cast depends on which bones are broken and the extent of the damage. You may need a long cast during the first part of treatment and require crutches to walk. Once the bones begin to heal and the doctor feels your ankle can support your body's weight, she may replace the long cast with a short, lighter-weight walking cast. You should expect to be in a cast for 6 to 8 weeks.
4. Remove Splintered Bones
With a fractured ankle, the bones splinter, which makes repairing the joint more difficult. Pieces of bone may cut into the tendons and cause pain or further complications. The doctor may need to remove pieces of bone with surgery. If the doctor cannot set the bone, he may need to insert a plate or pins into the joint to secure the bones in proper position. Complications from an improperly healed ankle include arthritis.
5. Rebuild Range of Motion
After the cast comes off, your doctor may recommend reduced physical activity or rehabilitation. Range-of-motion exercises work to restore your ankle's ability to move your foot up and down and side to side. Doctors may require several follow-up examinations for children to ensure that growth continues properly. If the bones do not heal correctly, children may experience shortened growth, or their legs may be uneven in length.
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