fractured lateral malleous ankle

By Anonymous June 14, 2011 - 5:48pm

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i fractured my right ankle lateral lmalleous non displaced. i was casted for 6 weeks, and then they put me in a boot for 3weeks and told me to wean myself out of my boot little by little. i did and started using an ankle brace and noticed quite a bit of pain during the day. i went back to the dr. and he took an xray and said he still sees a break line and to keep wearing the boot and come back in 4 weeks. if the break line is still there , he said i will need surgery. i am very confused. what does he mean? i feel like i am alot better although i still have to ice and put leg up when i am on it too much. this happend march it is now june

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Rosa Cabrera RN

Hi Anon,

Thanks for your question. Basically, what your doctor means by the break line still being there is that your fracture is not healing. By now, with nonsurgical treatment your fracture would no longer have the fracture there and there would be a union between the joints. In your case, since there is still a fracture, there is a nonunion an surgery may be necessary if they don't fuse together with treatment.

If the fracture is out of place or your ankle is unstable, your fracture may be treated with surgery. To make your ankle stable, a plate and screws on the side of the bone or a screw or rod inside the bone may be used to re-align the bone fragments and keep them together as they heal.

If you have any concerns regarding surgery, don't be afraid to give your doctor.

All the best,

Rosa

June 15, 2011 - 6:50am