What causes an ankle fracture? How many walk in a cast with such an injury? We will answer these and other questions in this article.
General injury information
An ankle is a bone formation that is located in the distal tibia. Such an articulation may be lateral and medial (i.e., external and internal).
The lateral connection is the distal section located in the fibula. This is the main stabilizing element of the ankle joint. As for the medial articulation, this is a process of the distal tibia. Both presented ankles form a “fork” of the ankle joint. At this joint, the transfer of the weight of the whole body to the foot is in progress.
An ankle fracture (how much to walk in a cast, we will tell below) is the most common injury of the musculoskeletal system.
Classification of ankle fractures
What is an ankle fracture? How much to walk in a cast with and without displacement? The answers to these questions are known only to experienced doctors. According to experts, such a fracture is classified as follows:
- by type of damage: open, that is, with fragments and a bleeding wound, closed, that is, without rupture of the external soft tissues;
- at the place of injury: in the outer ankle or in the inner;
- by the presence of displacement: with displacement of bones and without displacement;
- in the direction of the fracture: rotational, pronational, supination;
- combined fractures: involving other bones or with dislocation.
Causes of fracture
Why does an ankle fracture turn out (how many walk in a cast, depends on several reasons)? Most often, a patient with osteoporosis is exposed to such an injury. But even if a person’s skeleton is strong enough, then he can get such a fracture as a result:
- falls;
- careless movement;
- industrial injuries;
- traffic accident;
- criminal attack.
Who is most prone to such an injury as an ankle fracture? How many walk in a cast? Answers to these questions can be obtained from a traumatologist. And if the timing of wearing a cast dressing depends on several factors, then the following groups belong to the category of people prone to fractures:
- children;
- athletes;
- pensioners.
Key signs of ankle damage
What are the symptoms that indicate that you have an ankle fracture? How much to walk in a cast, if the lower limb swells? If after applying the bandage you have pain or swelling, then you should definitely inform your doctor about this.
As for the general signs of a fracture, the following are referred to them:
- crunch at the time of injury;
- sharp pain in the leg of a pulsating nature, preventing the ability to move it;
- swelling or hematoma;
- limitation of motor ability of the limb;
- bulging of bone or bone fragments with an open fracture;
- mobility of the lower limb, but not at the bend;
- unnatural position of the leg.
It should also be noted that even after the plaster cast is removed, some symptoms that were observed in the acute period may persist for some time. By the way, among these signs there are swelling.
If the swelling does not subside for a long time, this is considered an abnormal situation. In this case, you need to visit a doctor. It should be specially noted that congestion in the lower extremities after fractures and other injuries is successfully eliminated with the help of physiotherapy and massage.
Ankle fracture: how many walk in a cast? (Photo of limb in plaster)
Now you know what the joint in question is and what symptoms the trauma causes.
Who should I contact if an ankle fracture occurs? How many walk in a cast? We will answer these questions right now.
In case of a fracture of the lower limb, you should immediately contact the emergency room. After examining the patient, the traumatologist can send him for radiography. When the bones are displaced, the specialist corrects them, after which he rigidly fixes them. Such fixation is necessary in order for bone tissue to grow together and restore limb function.
How is an ankle fracture treated? How many walk in a cast? Offset fracture requires prolonged wearing of a bandage. This period depends on the severity of the injury, its nature, variety and complications.
Experts say that without a bone displacement, a broken ankle requires wearing plaster for up to seven weeks. In this case, the minimum period is 4-5 weeks.
As for the injury with displacement, it requires wearing a bandage up to 4 months. If the damage touched the lower leg, then the full fixation of the lower limb should last at least 100 days.
If the fracture is light, then the bone tissue is restored in 1.5-2 months.
Features of wearing plaster for ankle fracture
What to do if the injury is very serious? What if soft tissue rupture accompanies an ankle fracture? How much to walk in a cast after surgery? Doctors say that not only the bones grow together a different amount of time, but the tissues can recover very long.
In a normal state, muscles and tendons come depending on the place and nature of the bone fracture. A huge role here is played by the age of the patient, as well as the processes that occur in his internal organs.
After surgical intervention in the recovery of the patient, the state of his immune system plays an important role. If the patient's body is strong enough, then he will cope with the injury quite quickly. Therefore, it is so important to maintain a healthy lifestyle, as well as take multivitamin complexes, which include vitamin D, phosphorus and calcium.
The increase in the period of wearing plaster. Under what conditions?
Plaster for ankle fracture must be worn until the next X-ray. If a picture of the lower limb shows that the bone tissue has not yet grown together, then you will have to postpone the procedure for getting rid of the bandage for some more time.
In case of ankle fracture, an X-ray is usually done up to three times with a certain frequency. Until the orthopedist makes sure that everything is in order, the plaster will not be removed. By the way, doing it yourself is highly discouraged. Only a specialist should carry out such a procedure.
The process of healing and fusion of broken bones is complicated by various kinds of diseases. For example, diabetes mellitus, osteoporosis and other chronic diseases affect tissue repair very poorly. Typically, these patients are forced to walk with plaster for a long time. In the presence of especially severe cases, the wearing time of the dressing is doubled.
The period of wearing gypsum also depends on how it is fixed or applied. Most doctors do not allow excesses and folds in such dressings. The bandage should be distributed carefully and evenly. Subject to all the necessary conditions, the fracture will grow together much faster.
Those parts of the body that will be overloaded, experts reinforce with additional layers of gypsum. It can be both the sole and the area of the joints. If there are no fractures of the fingers , but the foot is damaged, then the phalanges do not plaster, leaving them open. Such an overlay makes it possible to regularly monitor how a limb behaves under a cast. In addition, the fingers are not well supplied with blood, like other parts of the body. That is why it is important not to plaster them.
How is the casting procedure in the emergency room?
As mentioned above, the methods of applying dressings made of gypsum also affect the period of their wearing. Plaster without lining is applied directly to the skin. Before this, it is lubricated with special oil (for example, petroleum jelly). Such a bandage is not worn very long.
As for gypsum with layers of cotton, it is designed for a greater amount of time. The duration of wearing such a bandage can only be determined by a doctor.