An ankle injury can be extremely painful and debilitating. A broken ankle often causes people to wonder if they should walk on it or keep it immobile. Ankle fractures affect the ability to walk significantly.
What happens if your ankle is broken?
A foot joint connects the long bones of the lower leg with the small bones. When an ankle bone breaks, an ankle fracture occurs. An ankle injury can occur when it is twisted, rotated, or rolled.
There are different types of ankle fractures:
- Lateral malleolus fracture – A break to the smaller outer ankle bone (fibula)
- Medial malleolus fracture – A break to the larger inner ankle bone (tibia)
- Posterior malleolus fracture – A break to the back of the tibia near the ankle joint
- Bimalleolar fracture – breaking both the fibula and tibia ankle bones
- Trimalleolar fracture – Medial malleolus, lateral malleolus, and posterior malleolus are broken
The instability of the ankle joint increases as ankle bones are broken. Stability is essential for walking normally. The severity of the breaks also impacts stability and the ability to bear weight.
can you walk on a broken ankle? Whether walking is possible with an ankle fracture depends on several key factors:
- Number of fractured bones – More fractures equal less stability
- Displacement of fracture fragments – If bone fragments have significantly shifted, the ankle will be too unstable for walking
- Type of fracture lines – Certain patterns are more stable than others
- Swelling/bruising – This indicates more severe soft tissue damage
- Location and pattern of break – Certain areas are under more stress during walking
The most stable ankle fractures that allow some walking with crutches or a walker are non-displaced lateral and medial malleolus fractures. The fibula plays a bigger role in stability during weight-bearing activities. So a non-displaced fibula fracture along with limited tissue damage provides enough integrity for partial walking. Posterior malleolus fractures and bi or trimalleolar fractures typically lead to dislocated ankle joints, indicating surgery will be necessary to realign and stabilize the bones with plates and screws. These fractures are unstable, meaning no walking should be attempted to avoid causing further damage.
Is it safe to walk on a broken ankle?
Most doctors recommend avoiding all weight-bearing on a fractured ankle to support proper healing. Walking is risky and could convert a simple fracture into a more complex break. However, with non-displaced lateral or medial malleolus fractures, touch-down walking is okay for short distances within the home using crutches or a walker. No more than 25% of body weight should be put through the leg with the fractured ankle. Any walking should be discussed with your doctor to ensure the specific fracture pattern tolerates the limited weight safely. Attempting to walk is not advisable with any displaced fracture since the bone fragments will move with weight-bearing, disturbing the healing process. Early surgery is often needed so patients begin light, protected weight-bearing sooner. Key Considerations When Determining If Walking is Possible:
- Consult with your orthopedic doctor before walking on the ankle
- Strictly follow all weight-bearing restrictions for the recommended healing timeframe
- Stabilize the ankle by splinting or casting to limit painful motion
- Elevate to help decrease swelling that leads to instability
- Use crutches and avoid uncomfortable shuffling or limping
- Stop walking immediately if there’s any increased ankle pain or movement at the fracture site
The ankle is a fragile balance of aligned bones, ligaments, and tendons. With any fracture, the ability to walk normally is compromised until adequate healing occurs. Being patient through the initial swelling and pain leads to quicker recovery down the road. Work closely with your medical team to ensure walking recommendations match the severity of your unique ankle fracture.
