Posterior Ankle Impingement
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Yes, you can walk with a Medial Malleolus Fracture once it is pain-free. For an isolated Medial Malleolus Fracture such as an avulsion fracture, it is normal to walk in an air cast walker boot for the first 4-6 weeks.
If there is pain when walking in the boot, using crutches in the first 2 weeks to reduce the force through the ankle joint is helpful.
After 4 weeks of wearing a boot, it is usual to walk indoors in cushioned trainers for 1-2 weeks before beginning to walk outdoors.
Patients report a sharp pain when weight bearing when they have a Medial Malleolus Fracture. It is common to experience a throbbing sensation at night while there is usually no pain at rest.
If there is a significant fracture to the Medial Malleolus, it can result in significant swelling. The swelling can compress the ankle’s surrounding nerves, resulting in pins and needles or numbness.
A Medial Malleolus Fracture is a severe injury that should be assessed by a medical professional and referred for a scan such as an x-ray or an MRI. If a fracture is identified, it can be treated conservatively or may be referred for surgery.
A Medial Malleolus Fracture can result from a fall’s impact where high forces are applied to the bone resulting in a break. The more common cause is a severe ankle sprain that leads to an avulsion fracture where a fragment of bone is pulled off from the bone by a ligament or tendon.
Repetitive overuse from running or impact sports can lead to stress fractures of the Medial Malleolus.
Recovery time for an isolated Medial Malleolus Fracture is 4-6 weeks. This is the time it takes for the bone to unite if it is managed correctly under a Physical Therapist’s care.
For complex Medial Malleolus Fractures, it can take 3 months to recover after having surgery. Within the 3 months, 6 weeks is usually spent in a walker boot, followed by 6 weeks of Physical Therapy.
A stress fracture can cause Medial Malleolus pain, especially when weight-bearing. An avulsion fracture where the ligament pulls a fragment of bone off the Medial Malleolus can cause a lot of pain in the area, or repetitive impact from running can lead to bony bruising on the Medial Malleolus. A bone can present similarly to a stress fracture in the clinic, and a scan is usually required to help with a differential diagnosis.
This is not medical advice. We recommend a consultation with a medical professional such as James McCormack. He offers Online Physiotherapy Appointments for £45.
Related Article: Medial Malleolus Fracture: Symptoms and Treatment