Can you walk on an avulsion fracture ankle?

Walking: You may walk on the foot as comfort allows but you may find it easier to walk on your heel in the early stages. If you have been given a boot to wear, it is for your comfort only and is not needed to aid fracture healing. If supplied, wear the boot for comfort when walking.

Do you need surgery for an avulsion fracture?

Most avulsion fractures will heal without surgery, but if the chunk of bone is too far away from the main bone, you may need surgery. If your child has an avulsion fracture that involves a growth plate, they may need surgery as well.

Is it bad to walk on an avulsion fracture?

You can walk on your injured foot as long as it is not too painful. If you were given crutches, you can stop using these as you feel able to. You should take the boot off when you are resting. You do not need to wear it at night.

How long does an ankle avulsion fracture take to heal?

You have sustained an avulsion fracture to your ankle, which is treated like a soft tissue injury (sprain) to your ankle. This can take approximately 6 weeks to heal, although pain and swelling can be ongoing for 3 to 6 months.

What causes an avulsion fracture of the ankle?

An avulsion fracture is where a fragment of bone is pulled away at the ligamentous or tendinous attachment. It can be caused by traumatic traction (repetitive long-term or a single high impact traumatic traction) of the ligament or tendon. This occurs as tendons can bear more load than the bone.

Will a chipped bone heal itself?

Bones are very flexible and can withstand a lot of physical force. However, if the force is too great, bones can break. A broken bone or fracture can repair itself, provided that the conditions are right for the break to heal completely.

What does an ankle avulsion fracture feel like?

Difficulty moving the ankle joint, Pain when trying to move the ankle, Instability of the ankle joint, Numbness and tingling.

How long should an avulsion fracture hurt?

This type of fracture takes approximately six weeks to unite (heal), although pain and swelling can continue for three to six months. Surgery is not usually required. 24-72 hours Try to rest and elevate your foot. A cold pack (ice pack or frozen peas wrapped in a damp towel) can provide short term pain relief.

How long should you wear a boot with an avulsion fracture?

You should take the boot off when you are resting. You do not need to wear it at night. Start the ‘ankle range of movement exercises’ described below. 3-6 weeks Reduce the amount of time you wear the boot and gradually start to resume your normal activities.

How do I treat an avulsion fracture?

Avulsion Fracture Treatment. The treatment for an avulsion fracture varies based on which bone you’ve fractured. Recovery. Depending on your injury, it may take eight weeks or more for the fracture to heal. Risk factors. Avulsion fractures often happen in people who play sports. Prevention tips. Before playing sports, warm up and stretch for at least 5 to 10 minutes.

What is the treatment for a chip fracture in the ankle?

Such fractures can be treated simply with a period of immobilization. Once the initial swelling improves over the first several days, either a cast or a fracture boot can be applied to the ankle to properly protect and immobilize it. Both a cast and a boot can provide adequate protection to the ankle.

Can you walk with an avulsion fracture?

An avulsion fracture of the base of the 5th metatarsal is usually treated conservatively . If the bone is not displaced, a walking boot or a walking cast can be used, which will remain in situ for 4 to 6 weeks.

What causes an avulsion fracture?

Other possible causes of an avulsion fracture may include improper stretching and warm-up prior to performing exercises and bone problems such as infection and cancer of the bone. Traumatic incidents such as vehicular accidents may also cause avulsion fractures [9].