One of the most fractured areas is the foot area. The cause is usually severe trauma. Causes such as falling from a height, sprains and traffic accidents can cause fractures in the foot area. In elderly patients, fractures may occur without severe trauma. Bones that become osteoporotic over time can be broken with a simple movement.

When the fracture occurs, the bones forming the ankle and the joint lose their harmony, so it is very important to fully restore the anatomical harmony regardless of the severity of the trauma. If anatomically appropriate alignment is not achieved, load transfer is impaired, cartilage is damaged, and joint arthrosis, walking difficulty and chronic pain inevitably occur.

What Are the Symptoms of Foot and Ankle Fractures?

The patient feels severe pain after the injury. Difficulty in moving the ankle and bearing weight. After a few hours, the pain may increase and swelling and bruising may also occur. By touching the injured area, the patient feels severe pain. In advanced cases, deformities can be seen.

How is a Broken Ankle Diagnosed?

First of all, X-ray imaging should be performed on the patient with suspected fracture. If necessary, CT (Computed tomography) and MR examinations can be performed to examine the surrounding soft tissues.

Foot and Ankle Fracture Treatment

The treatment method to be applied in foot and ankle fractures is determined according to the location and severity of the fracture. It is essential to provide the appropriate anatomical placement of the foot and ankle bones in order to avoid any sequelae in the patient. Especially if there is no deterioration or slippage in the fracture position, non-surgical treatment is performed. In this method, plaster or splint can be used.

Surgical treatment may be required if the fracture position is impaired and shifted. Open surgical treatment with plates and screws, which is the most commonly applied method, is used to determine the proper alignment of bone fragments. Depending on the type of fracture and injury, weight bearing takes between 1 month and 3 months in the postoperative period. After approximately 2 weeks of plaster application, physiotherapy is started immediately to maintain the range of motion of the joint. It takes approximately 2-3 months for the patients to return to their normal daily life.