Fracture of the ankle: how much to walk in a cast (with displacement)

What are the causes of an ankle fracture? How much does it take to walk in a cast with such a trauma? These and other questions will be answered in this article.

General information about injury

An ankle is called bone formation, which is located in the distal part of the shin. This joint can be lateral and medial (that is, external and internal).

The lateral joint is a distal part located in the fibula. This is the basic stabilizing element of the ankle joint. As for the medial articulation, it is the process of the distal bone of the tibia. Both presented ankles form a "fork" of the ankle joint. On this joint is the transfer of the weight of the whole body to the foot.

Fracture of the ankle (how much to walk in a cast, we will tell below) is the most common injury of the musculoskeletal system.

Classification of fractures of the ankle

What is the fracture of the ankle? How much to walk in a cast with a bias and without it? Only experienced doctors know the answers to these questions. According to the specialists' explanations, such a break is classified as follows:

• By the type of damage: open, that is, with splinters and bleeding wound, closed, that is, without breaking external soft tissues;
• At the place of injury: in the outer ankle or in the inner;
• By the presence of displacement: with the displacement of bones and without displacement;
• In the direction of the fracture: rotational, pronation, supination;
• Combined fractures: with the involvement of other bones or with a dislocation.

Causes of fracture

Why is the fracture of the ankle (how much to walk in a cast depends on several reasons)? Most often, such a traumatized patient with osteoporosis. But even if the skeleton of a person is strong enough, then such a turning point it can get as a result:

• Falling;
• Careless moving;
• Injuries at work;
• Road accident;
• Criminal attack.

Who is most prone to such a trauma as an ankle fracture? How much to go in a cast? Answers to these questions can be obtained from a traumatologist. And if the timing of dressing gypsum depends on several factors, then the category of people susceptible to fractures include the following groups:

• children;
• athletes;
• Pensioners.

The main signs of ankle damage

What symptoms can you understand that you have an ankle fracture? How much to go in a cast if the lower extremity swells? If after applying the bandage you have pain or swelling, then this should be reported to your doctor.

As for the common 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, which does not allow it to move;
• Edema or hematoma;
• Limitation of the motor capacity of the limb;
• The bulging of the bone or bone fragments with an open fracture;
• Mobility of the lower extremity, but not in the place of folding;
• Unnatural leg position.

It should also be noted that even after the plaster bandage has been removed, some of the symptoms that have been observed in the acute period may persist for some time. By the way, among these signs there is edema.

If the swelling does not fall off for a long time, it is considered an abnormal situation. In this case, you need to visit a doctor. It should be especially noted that stagnant phenomena in the lower limbs after fractures and other injuries are successfully eliminated with the help of physiotherapy and massage.

Fracture of the ankle: how much to walk in a cast? (Photo of limb in plaster)

Now you know what the joint under consideration is and what kind of symptoms cause such trauma.

Who should I contact if I have an ankle fracture? How much to go in a cast? We will answer these questions right now.

If you have a fracture of the lower limb, you should immediately go to the emergency room. After examining the patient, a traumatologist can send it to a radiograph. When the bones are shifted, the specialist directs them, and then fixes them rigidly. This fixation is necessary in order for bone tissue to grow together and restore the function of the limb.

How is an ankle fractured? How much to go in a cast? Fracture with displacement requires a long wearing 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 gypsum up to seven weeks. At the same time, the minimum period is 4-5 weeks.

As for the injury with a shift, 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 easy, the bone tissue is restored in 1.5-2 months.

Features of wearing gypsum in case of fracture of the ankle

What if the injury was very serious? What if a soft tissue rupture accompanies a fracture of the ankle? How much does the plaster go after the operation? Doctors say that not only the bones coalesce a different amount of time, but the tissues can recover for a very long time.

In a normal state, the muscles and tendons come depending on the location and nature of the bone fracture. The age of the patient plays a huge role here, as well as the processes that take place 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 with an injury he will cope pretty quickly. Therefore, it is so important to lead a healthy lifestyle, and also take multivitamin complexes, which include vitamin D, phosphorus and calcium.

Increase in the period of wearing gypsum. Under what conditions?

Gypsum with an ankle fracture must be worn until the next X-ray. If the picture of the lower limb shows that the bone tissues have not yet grown, you will have to postpone the procedure for getting rid of the bandage for a while.

With an ankle fracture, X-rays are usually done up to three times with some periodicity. Until the orthopedist is satisfied that you are all right, the cast will not be removed. By the way, doing this yourself is highly discouraged. This procedure should only be performed by a specialist.

The process of recovery and fusion of broken bones complicates all sorts of diseases. For example, diabetes, osteoporosis and other chronic diseases are very bad for tissue repair. Typically, these patients have to walk with gypsum for a long time. In the presence of especially severe cases, the time for wearing bandages is doubled.

The period of wearing gypsum depends on the way it is fixed or overlapped. Most doctors do not allow kinks and wrinkles in such bandages. Bandage should be distributed neatly and smoothly. If all the necessary conditions are met, the fracture will grow much faster.

Those parts of the body that will be overloaded, experts reinforce additional layers of gypsum. This can be both the sole and the area of the joints. If there is no fracture of the fingers , but the foot is damaged, then the phalanx does not gypsum, leaving them in the open. This superposition allows regular observation of how the limb behaves under the gypsum. In addition, the fingers are not very well supplied with blood, as are other parts of the body. That's why it's important not to gypsum them.

How does the gypsum procedure take place in the emergency room?

As it was said above, the ways of applying bandages from gypsum also influence the period of their wearing. Gypsum without lining is applied directly to the skin. Before that, it is lubricated with a special oil (for example, vaseline). This bandage is not very long.

As for gypsum with interlayers of cotton wool, it is designed for more time. The duration of wearing such a bandage can only be determined by a doctor.