If you have chronic or consistent pain in your ankle, you could have an ankle fracture and need to visit a foot and ankle specialist as soon as possible. Dr. Adam Teichman, owner and founder of East Penn Foot & Ankle Associates in Allentown, Easton, and Reading, Pennsylvania, talks here about what treatment is available for ankle fractures.
Two bones connect the ankle to the foot — the tibia and the fibula. An ankle fracture is a fracture that will involve any two of those bones. Additionally, when a patient comes in the office suspecting an ankle fracture, we recommend taking x-rays. They are needed to evaluate if there truly is an ankle fracture and not a soft tissue injury of the ankle, such as an ankle sprain.
When there is truly a fracture, we decide if it needs to be addressed surgically or non-surgically, using conservative measures. If we decide for it to be done surgically, we take the patient to the operative setting and prep him for surgery that involves screws and plates to set and correct the deformity of the ankle due to the fracture.
Using a Cast
If the severity is not that severe, we put the patient in a cast for approximately six to eight weeks. Around the six-week mark, we progress the patient into a walking boot and suggest physical therapy. X-rays are taken over that period to evaluate the healing of the fracture and to see how the patient and the bones are progressing.
Sometimes we need the assistance of a bone stimulator to help the bones heal and fuse. It enhances or stimulates the bone healing principles by working on the physics of how the bones heal. It is an external device placed around the leg to help bones heal faster.
Resulting From Injury
Any person who has pain, swelling and discoloration in the ankle from a traumatic event such as an automobile accident, sporting activity, slipping on the ice or other type of trauma to the ankle could have an ankle fracture. I would suspect if you have pain in the ankle then you should see a podiatric foot and ankle surgeon who specializes in this area to rule out an ankle fracture, or provide treatment if there is one.
We treat a variety of conditions, including ankle fractures, structural conditions, ankle-related injuries of any sort, skin and nail conditions and congenital deformities. At East Penn Foot and Ankle Associates, we can provide the best treatment for you, no matter what the problem may be.
The information in the article is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your healthcare provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate healthcare provider.
