Broken/Fractured Ankle

What is a Broken Ankle?

Broken ankles are a massively common injury, especially among sportspeople, and are often associated with Sprained Ankles. While most people believe otherwise, 'Broken' and 'Fractured' mean exactly the same thing and can be interchanged freely.

The ankle is made up of 3 bones, the Tibia, Fibula and Talus, as shown in the diagram to the right.

Tibia: The larger shin bone, which forms the inside part of the ankle. This bone is most commonly fractured on the bony part on the inside of the ankle (the Malleolus). It is also possible to fracture the Posterior Malleolus on the back of the ankle.

Fibula: The other shin bone, which forms the outer part of the ankle (the Lateral Malleolus).

Talus: This is the bone which sits above the foot and connects it to the Tibia and Fibula. It is possible, though uncommon, to fracture the Talus.

How can an Ankle break?

There are many ways to break your ankle. The most common break is when the ankle 'rolls over' the foot to the side. Often, this movement only causes a sprain and soft tissue damage, but it can also fracture one of the Malleoli. The Malleolus most commonly fractured in this way is the Lateral Malleolus, but it is possible to fracture the Posterior or Medial Malleolus.

It is also possible to fracture the ankle by flexing or extending the joint to a point which the ankle is not built to deal with. Another common cause of Broken Ankles is direct impact injuries, such as those caused by landing from a height.

Stress fractures are also rather common in the ankle, especially in the Talus, and are caused by repetitive overstressing of the ankle, usually due to overpronation.

Symptoms of a Broken Ankle

• Intense pain which comes on suddenly at the moment of fracture
• Pain when the ankle is weight-bearing
• Extreme tenderness on the bone
• Swelling and bruising, both of which usually develop quickly

Please see the Virtual Sports Injury Clinic for more information on how to treat a Broken Ankle and other ankle injuries.