Ankle Fracture

What is an Ankle Fracture

Ankle fracture is a break in one, two, or all three of these sections of bone. The ankle joint is made up of the lower (distal) sections of your lower leg bones(tibiaand fibula) along with a bone in your foot (talus).

Follow these instructions at home:

If you have a splint:

• Wear the splint as told by your doctor. Take it off only as told by your doctor.
• Loosen the splint if your toes tingle, become numb, or turn cold and blue.
• Keep the splint clean.
• If the splint is not waterproof:
  • Do notlet it get wet.
  • Cover it with a watertight covering when you take a bath or a shower.

If you have a cast:

• Do not stick anything inside the cast to scratch your skin. Doing that increases your risk of infection.
• Check the skin around the cast every day. Tell your doctor about any concerns.
• You may put lotion on dry skin around the edges of the cast. Do not put lotion on the skin underneath the cast.
• Keep the cast clean.
• If the cast is not waterproof:
  • Do not let it get wet.
  • Cover it with a watertight covering when you take a bath or a shower.

Managing pain, stiffness, and swelling

• If directed, put ice on the injured area:
  • If you have a removable splint, remove it as told by your doctor.
  • Put ice in a plastic bag.
  • Place a towel between your skin and the bag.
  • Leave the ice on for 20 minutes, 2–3 times a day.
• Move your toes often. This prevents stiffness and lessens swelling.
• Raise (elevate) the injured area above the level of your heart while you are sitting or lying down.

General instructions

• Do notuse the injured limb to support your body weight until your doctor says that you can. Use crutches as told by your doctor.
• Take over-the-counter and prescription medicines only as told by your doctor.
• Ask your doctor when it is safe to drive if you have a cast or splint.
• Do exercises as told by your doctor.
• Do notuse any products that contain nicotine or tobacco, such as cigarettes and e-cigarettes. These can delay bone healing. If you need help quitting, ask your doctor.
• Keep all follow-up visits as told by your doctor. This is important.

Contact a doctor if:

• Your pain or swelling gets worse.
• Your pain or swelling does not get better when you rest or take medicine.

Get help right away if:

• Your cast gets damaged.
• You continue to have very bad pain.
• You have new pain or swelling.
• Your skin or toes below the injured ankle:
  • Turn blue or gray.
  • Feel cold or numb.
  • Lose sensitivity to touch.

Summary

• An ankle fracture is a break in one, two, or all three of the bones in your lower leg and lower foot.
• If you have a splint, wear it as told by your health care provider. Keep it clean and dry.
• If you have a cast, do not stick anything inside the cast to scratch your skin. This can cause infection.
• Use ice, take medicines, raise your foot, and avoid tobacco and nicotine products. These steps will lessen pain and swelling and speed up healing.

Ankle Fracture Rehab

Ask your health care provider which exercises are safe for you. Do exercises exactly as told by your health care provider and adjust them as directed. It is normal to feel mild stretching, pulling, tightness, or discomfort as you do these exercises, but you should stop right away if you feel sudden pain or your pain gets worse.  Do notbegin these exercises until told by your health care provider.

Stretching and range of motion exercises

These exercises warm up your muscles and joints and improve the movement and flexibility of your knee. These exercises also help to relieve pain, numbness, and tingling.

Exercise A: Ankle eversion, passive

1. Sit with your left / right ankle crossed over your opposite knee.
2. Hold your left / right foot with your opposite hand.
3. Gently push the top of your foot downward so your big toe moves away from you and toward the floor. Keep your lower leg steady. You should feel a gentle stretch on the inside of your ankle.
4. Hold the stretch for __________ seconds.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times per day.

Exercise B: Ankle inversion, passive

1. Sit with your left / right ankle crossed over your opposite knee.
2. Hold your left / right foot with your opposite hand.
3. Gently pull your foot toward you. Keep your lower leg steady. Your big toe will move toward you and toward the ceiling. You should feel a gentle stretch on the outside of your ankle.
4. Hold the stretch for __________ seconds.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times per day.

Exercise C: Ankle alphabet

1. Sit with your left / right lower leg supported at the lower leg.
   • Do notrest your foot on anything.
   • Make sure your foot has room to move freely.
2. Think of your left / right foot as a paintbrush, and move your foot to trace each letter of the alphabet in the air. Keep your hip and knee still while you trace. Make the letters as large as you can without feeling discomfort.
3. Trace every letter from A to Z.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times per day.

Exercise D: Gastrocnemius

1. Sit on the floor with your left / right leg straight.
2. Loop a belt or towel around the ball of your left / right foot.
3. Keep your left / right ankle and foot relaxed and keep your knee straight while you use the belt or towel to pull your foot and ankle toward you. You should feel a gentle stretch behind your ankle or in your calf.
4. Hold this position for __________ seconds.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this stretch __________ times per day.

Strengthening exercises

These exercises build strength and endurance in your knee. Endurance is the ability to use your muscles for a long time, even after they get tired.

Exercise E: Towel curls

1. Sit in a chair on a non-carpeted surface, and put your feet on the floor.
2. Place a towel in front of your feet. If told by your health care provider, add __________ to the end of the towel.
3. Keeping your heel on the floor, put your left / right foot on the towel.
4. Pull the towel toward you by grabbing the towel with your toes and curling them under. Keep your heel on the floor.
5. Let your toes relax.
6. Grab the towel with your toes again. Keep going until the towel is completely underneath your foot.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times per day.