Ankle Fracture in Sports Medicine Treatment & Management

Rehabilitation Program

Physical Therapy

As always, acute management of ankle fractures involves analgesics for pain, immobilization, and patient comfort. Use either a well-padded posterior splint or a stirrup splint to keep the patient from bearing weight on the ankle until definitive treatment is instituted in 3-4 days.

Small avulsion Danis-Weber type A fractures without medial-sided injury can be symptomatically treated with a walking cast or stirrup brace and ambulation as tolerated. The patient should apply ice to the injured area over a compressive dressing for 20 minutes every 2-3 hours for the first 24 hours and every 4-6 hours thereafter until casting. Keeping the limb elevated above the level of the heart also significantly reduces swelling.

Medical Issues/Complications

Isolated lateral malleolus fractures are the most common fracture involving the ankle. Most inversion injuries result in an isolated sprain of the anterior talofibular ligament. However, a small avulsion fracture can occasionally be seen near the distal portion of the lateral malleolus. Barely visible osseous chip fractures do not alter the routine active management of grade 1 and 2 ankle sprains.

• Most primary care physicians can treat isolated nondisplaced Danis-Weber type A fractures. ^[14]

• More experienced providers can treat stable, nondisplaced fractures of the malleoli with posterior malleolus involvement of less than 25% of the articular surface.

• Bimalleolar or trimalleolar injuries are always unstable and are treated with open reduction and internal fixation. All displaced medial malleolar fractures are openly reduced and fixed to restore normal ankle congruency and deltoid integrity.

Consultations

Referral to an orthopedist is advisable for all displaced ankle fractures, because minor changes involving the joint mortise can cause chronic pain and early osteoarthritis. Patients with possible unstable injury (Danis-Weber classification types B or C) or those with bimalleolar fractures should be referred to an orthopedist. In the presence of medial malleolar tenderness and more than 5 mm of medial clear space on the mortise view, make a presumptive diagnosis of deltoid ligament rupture if a displaced fibular fracture is present. Treat these injuries as a bimalleolar fracture, and refer patients with this injury for treatment by an orthopedist.

Referral is also indicated for all trimalleolar fractures, which involve fracture to both the medial and lateral malleoli, along with a fracture to the posterior lip of the tibial plafond. This fracture is usually secondary to an avulsion of the posterior tibiofibular ligament at its insertion site. Fractures that show no radiographic evidence of healing after 8 weeks are best evaluated for adjunctive measures.

Rehabilitation Program

Physical Therapy

After the acute phase, cast immobilization can be accomplished with either a short leg walking cast or walking cast fracture boot in a reliable patient with a stable ankle fracture.

Medical Issues/Complications

The ankle should be put in a cast in a neutral position to avoid shortening of the Achilles tendon. Generally, 4-6 weeks of immobilization is required for healing. Cast boots are generally preferred after swelling dissipates so that intermittent motion can commence. If the fracture site is not tender, gradual ankle rehabilitation can begin because clinical healing is present. If no evidence of fracture healing is present, an additional 2-4 weeks of immobilization may be required.

Nonunion or delayed union is the most common complication of ankle fractures requiring referral to an orthopedist.

Consultations

If no evidence of fracture healing is present by 8 weeks, referral to an orthopedist is mandatory.

Rehabilitation Program

Physical Therapy

After completing the immobilization period, the patient should begin ankle rehabilitation. Range of motion and strength returns quickly in young patients, and referral to a physical therapist may not be necessary. Patients motivated to complete rehabilitation at home can perform calf stretching and strengthening exercises, along with range-of-motion activities. Instruct patients to pay particular attention to the attainment of dorsiflexion. Older patients with premorbid conditions often require formal physical therapy to successfully regain strength and range of motion in the ankle.

Return to play depends on both the ankle fracture and the athlete. Motivated athletes can generally return to sports with documentation of fracture healing and return of normal strength and motion. The goal of rehabilitation should be symmetric range of motion and 85% of contralateral strength before returning to the sport. ^[15]

The first phase of rehabilitation is restoration of motion and pain-free ambulation after cast immobilization. During the first several days after cast removal, crutch-assisted ambulation can assist the patient in gaining motion and in preventing ankle reinjury secondary to weakness. After the return of passive motion, active motion and active-assisted motion should begin, along with a strengthening program. Particular attention is devoted to the recovery of peroneal and gastrocnemius complex strength. Proprioception and balance training are also an important part of the overall rehabilitation program and have been shown to be effective in reducing the risk for recurrent ankle injury.