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Ankle fracture

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Fracture – is a common kind of an injury suffered ankle joints. Despite the strong ligamentous apparatus of the ankle joint is often experiencing excessive load pressure of the mass of the whole body.

Ankle bones form the lower leg and the talus bone of the foot. Thickened ends of the tibia and fibula "fork" embrace the talus from above and sideways. In the correct position, the joint is fixed with muscles, ligaments and tendons.

During a fracture occurs, the bone tissue injury with possible displacement of the bones and rupture of ligaments. According to statistics, the proportion of fractures of the ankle joint accounts for 10-15% of the total number of fractures.


Possible causes of fracture

In 90% of cases, the joint is damaged as a result of indirect, rather than direct exposure to traumatic forces. For example, when the forefoot keeps on moving with fixed rear section. This happens during the fall when running or walking.

A displaced fracture can be obtained by falling down the stairs, skating and rollerblading, doing extreme sports: mountain skiing, parachute jumping. In any case, you should not endure severe pain, and immediately contact the emergency room to differentiate possible fracture from a dislocation or sprain, because old fractures without treatment lead to serious complications.


Types of fractures of the ankle joint

An ankle fracture is a complex injury that is caused by the complicated structure of the ankle. The nature of the damage depends on the position of the foot was the injury: pronation (flexion) or supination (props to toe). When a traumatic blow to the foot is damaged bronirovanii outer side of the ankle, spinaroonie – inner side.

The type of displacement of fractures of the ankle klassificeret as follows:

  • The external-rotation – occurs under the power of twisting (spiral), in this case damaged the inner ankle and the joint is displaced outwards or backwards; this injury often get in an accident;
  • Abduction-eversion – stop paniruetsya and turned inankle joint outward; the fibula is broken due to the strong discharge in the direction;
  • Adduction-eversion – stop spinnerets and turned in the inside ankle, heel bone tucks; this often occurs when the exposed legs;
  • Fracture Pott – stop spinnerets and turned into the ankle joint to the outside; the back of the ankle breaks in the transverse direction.

When you drop going vertical fracture of ankle with dislocation of the foot up forward. Fractures with displacement and damage of the talus relates to severe forms of fracture.

According to the severity of damage are distinguished:

  • Closed fracture when the bone does not damage soft tissue.
  • Open fracture when disturbed integrity of the skin, there is an open wound and the bone comes out. It is fraught with the development of the inflammatory process.

Closed (simple) fractures are being diagnosed more often. They are divided into fractures with displacement and without displacement. When displacement occurs, the rotation and deformity of the joint and foot. All types of fractures are common symptoms.


The symptoms of fracture of the ankle joint

The main symptoms of a broken ankle the following:

  • Severe pain, sharp and burning with open forms and a dull, aching in a closed fracture, which increases to move the stop;
  • The rapid emergence of edema, which gradually increases and takes pronounced;

  • Visible deformity of the ankle;
  • Limiting the range of motion in the joint;
  • The inability of axial loads (inability to stand on the foot with emphasis);
  • In some cases, the presence of a hematoma (bleeding), increase local and General temperature of the body.

Diagnosis and treatment

First aid

First of all you need to provide the injured extremity at rest, possibly a splint, fixing and foot, and lower leg. With strong pain can give the victim any anesthetic drug, and then deliver him to a medical facility.

Diagnosis

For accurate diagnosis is carried out x-ray, which is done in two projections, frontal and side. Additionally, you can apply the methods of CT and MRI.

Treatment

With the aim of combining parts of the broken bone, the surgeon reduce the fracture under local anesthesia. After this procedure, the fracture site is superimposed plaster bandage. If you are unable to reduce the dislocation and to keep the combined parts of the bones with plaster, then surgical intervention is performed.

During the operation, some of the fragments of bone resulting from fracture are fastened together by means of special plates, retainers and implants. In the future, for successful bone healing and prevent secondary displacement requires full immobilization (immobility) of the limb. The period of wearing casts or splints lasts 1-3 months depending on the complexity of the fracture. Concurrently with the surgical procedures assigned to comprehensive rehabilitation, which is carried out until complete recovery.

On topic: Pain in the ankle joint: what to do?


The rehabilitation period

Rehabilitation therapy includes:

  • Massage;
  • Physiotherapy;
  • Physiotherapy (physical therapy).

Massage helps to relieve tension in muscles and ligaments, eliminate congestion, stimulate lymphatic flow and circulation. As physiotherapy is assigned magnetotherapy, electrophoresis, acupuncture. In the complex of therapeutic exercises include exercises that restore muscle tone and lead to normal flexor-extensor function of the foot: circular rotation of the foot, splaying left and right, up and down, etc.

Assign and combine between different methods of treatment can only a doctor because they can give different effects depending on the type of fracture.