What is Non displaced Bimalleolar Ankle Fracture Treated With Immobilization

A bimalleolar fracture is two breaks (fractures) in the lower bones of the leg that make up the ankle joint. The tibia forms the inner, front, and rear part of the ankle joint. The lower fibula forms the outer part of the ankle joint.

The ends of these bones are called malleoli. There are two malleoli on the tibia (medial and posterior) and one on the fibula (lateral).

If your fracture is nondisplaced, it means that the bones are still in their normal position. It is important that the bones continue to stay in the correct position (stabilized) while your ankle is healing.

What are the causes?

Common causes of this type of fracture include:

• Car accidents.
• Jumps or falls from a great height.
• Injuries from high-energy sports, such as soccer, or contact sports, such as football.
• Quickly or severely twisting your ankle.

What increases the risk?

You are more likely to develop this condition if you:

• Play high-energy sports or contact sports.
• Are an older person who has a condition that causes weak bones (osteoporosis).

What are the signs or symptoms?

Symptoms may include:

• Pain that is worse when you use your ankle to support your body weight.
• Swelling around your ankle.
• Bruising around your ankle.

How is this diagnosed?

This injury is diagnosed based on your symptoms. Your health care provider will also do a physical exam. You may also have imaging tests, such as:

• An X-ray of your ankle.
• A CT scan or MRI. This checks to make sure that no bones have moved out of place and that there are no injuries to the bands of tissue that connect bones (ligaments) in your ankle.

How is this treated?

Treatment for a nondisplaced bimalleolar ankle fracture may include:

• Wearing a cast or splint.
• Using crutches, a scooter, a walker, or a wheelchair so you can move around without using your injured leg to support your body weight.
• Taking medicine to relieve pain.
• Doing physical therapy while your ankle is healing.
• Continuing with physical therapy once your ankle has healed. This includes range-of-motion exercises to strengthen your ankle and prevent stiffness.

Surgery may be needed if there is a risk of the bones getting displaced.

Follow these instructions at home:

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 health care provider about any concerns.
• You may put lotion on dry skin around the edges of the cast. Do not put lotion on 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.

If you have a splint:

• Wear the splint as told by your health care provider. Remove it only as told by your health care provider.
• Loosen the splint if your fingers or toes tingle, become numb, or turn cold and blue.
• Keep the splint clean.
• If the splint 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, apply ice to the injured area:
  • If you have a removable splint, remove it as told by your health care provider.
  • 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 and ankle often to avoid stiffness and to lessen swelling.
• Raise (elevate) the injured area above the level of your heart while you are sitting or lying down.

Driving

• Do not drive or operate heavy machinery while taking pain medicine.
• Do not drive while wearing a cast or splint on a leg that you use for driving.

Activity

• Return to your normal activities as directed by your health care provider. Ask your health care provider what activities are safe for you.
• Perform range-of-motion exercises only as directed by your health care provider or therapist.

General instructions

• Do not put pressure on any part of the cast or splint until it is fully hardened. This may take several hours.
• Do not use the injured limb to support your body weight until your health care provider says that you can. Use crutches, a scooter, a walker, or a wheelchair as directed by your health care provider.
• Do not use any tobacco products, including cigarettes, chewing tobacco, or electronic cigarettes. Tobacco can delay bone healing. If you need help quitting, ask your health care provider.
• Take over-the-counter and prescription medicines only as told by your health care provider.
• Keep all follow-up visits as told by your health care provider. This is important.

Contact a health care provider if:

• Your pain is getting worse.
• Your pain medicine is not helping.

Get help right away if:

• You have very bad pain in your injured leg.
• You have swelling or redness in your foot that is getting worse.
• You begin to lose feeling in your foot or your toes.
• Your foot or your toes are cold or turn blue.

Summary

• A bimalleolar fracture is two breaks (fractures) in the lower bones of the leg (tibia and fibula) that make up the ankle joint.
• A nondisplaced fracture is one in which the bones are still in their normal position. A cast or splint is required to keep the bones in the correct position (stabilized) while they heal.
• Symptoms of this condition include pain with standing and swelling or bruising around the ankle.
• Do not use the injured limb to support your body weight. Use crutches, a scooter, a walker, or a wheelchair as directed by your health care provider.