How Do They Fix A Dislocated Ankle

Things to Know
- Things to know about a dislocated ankle
- What is a confused ankle?
Causes & Gamble Factors
- What are causes and risk factors for an ankle dislocation?
Signs & Symptoms
- What are dislocated ankle symptoms and signs?
Diagnosis
- How practice health care professionals diagnose a dislocated ankle?
Treatment
- What is the treatment for a dislocated ankle?
Recovery Time
- What is the recovery fourth dimension for a dislocated ankle?
Prognosis
- What is the prognosis of an talocrural joint dislocation?
Prevention
- Is it possible to prevent a dislocated ankle?
Related Resources
- Related Resources - Confused Ankle (Ankle Dislocation)
Comments
- Patient Comments: Dislocated Talocrural joint - Symptoms and Signs
- Patient Comments: Confused Ankle - Treatment
More
- Find a local Orthopedic Surgeon in your town

Things to know nigh a dislocated ankle

Posterior ankle dislocation

A dislocated ankle ways that the tibia and talus no longer maintain their normal anatomic relationship.

An isolated dislocated talocrural joint is a rare injury. Normally, there is an associated fracture of the bones that make upwards the talocrural joint.
The talocrural joint commonly dislocates every bit a upshot of a fall, motor vehicle crash, or sporting injury causing harm to ligaments and basic.
In addition to the bony injury, there can be damage to blood vessels, nerves, and skin.
The diagnosis is ofttimes made clinically.
The emergency treatment is to reduce the dislocation as soon as possible and then splint the ankle to prevent further damage.
Orthopedic or podiatric consultation is usually required since surgery may be required depending upon the patient's situation.
Arthritis is a common complication of talocrural joint dislocation.
Almost dislocated ankles result from accidental injury and are difficult to prevent.

Ankle pain and swelling are symptoms and signs of a dislocated ankle.

Symptom of Dislocated Ankle

Ankle Pain

Pain in the ankle tin result from inflammation or injury to whatever of the structures in this region, including the bones, joint infinite, cartilage, ligaments, tendons, or muscles. Ankle hurting can be associated with other symptoms including

ankle swelling,
bruising,
redness,
numbness or tingling,
instability,
called-for pain,
disability to bear weight on the affected ankle,
stiffness, and
weakness.

Common causes of talocrural joint pain include sprains or injuries. Rheumatoid arthritis, gout, osteoarthritis, and other types of arthritis can as well cause ankle pain. Achilles tendonitis is another potential crusade.

What is a dislocated ankle?

The ankle is a swivel joint that connects the lower leg to the foot. The tibia and fibula of the leg come into contact with the talus of the foot, forming the ankle mortise. The majority of the weight-bearing in the ankle occurs between the tibia and talus. While the shape of the mortise helps align the ankle joint, the surrounding ligaments are very of import in providing stability.

A dislocated joint describes the situation where the basic that come together to grade a articulation no longer maintain that normal relationship. In the ankle, information technology ways that the tibia and talus no longer maintain their normal anatomic relationship.

Nearly normally, a dislocated ankle is associated with fractures of the distal ends of the tibia and fibula (called the malleolus) in association with harm to the ligaments that assist support the ankle joint. Less commonly, isolated ligament injuries can result in dislocation.

What are causes and risk factors for an talocrural joint dislocation?

Ankle dislocations practice not happen spontaneously but are a result of a trauma. Forces are placed on the talocrural joint that causes the bones to fracture or the ligaments to tear, resulting in the dislocation injury.

The ankle is an inherently stable joint and the direction of the dislocation depends upon the position of the foot and where the force arises. Ankle dislocations are more than oft associated with fractures of the bones that make up the joint.

Common causes of dislocations include:

falls,
motor-vehicle crashes, and
sports injuries.

The most common type of ankle dislocation is the posterior dislocation, where the talus moves backward in relation to the tibia. For this to occur, the human foot needs to be plantarflexed (the toes are pointing downward) when the injury occurs. The ankle is either forced inward from the exterior (inversion) or outward from the within (eversion), tearing the ligaments and tissues that concord the ankle stable.

Anterior dislocations, where the talus is pushed frontward, occur when the foot is fixed or dorsiflexed (where the toes are pointed upwards). The force from in front of the foot pushes the tibia backward.
Lateral dislocations occur when the ankle is twisted, either inverted or everted, simply there are always fractures associated with either the medial or lateral malleolus or both.
Superior dislocation describes where the talus is jammed upwardly, into the space between the tibia and fibula, equally a result of an axial loading injury and is chosen a pilon injury. This may be due to landing on one's feet from a fall or from being in a auto wreck where the foot is held firmly confronting the brake pedal.

SLIDESHOW

Pain-Relief Tips for Bumps, Bruises, Sprains, and Strains in Pictures See Slideshow

What are dislocated ankle symptoms and signs?

five

Dislocations are painful, and there is commonly obvious deformity of the ankle joint. It may be very difficult or impossible to stand or walk.
If the nerves that run beyond the talocrural joint joint are damaged or inflamed, there can be numbness and tingling of the foot.
In that location is almost firsthand swelling of the ankle joint surface area and ecchymosis (bruising) may occur rapidly.
Depending upon the machinery of injury, there can exist associated other injuries to the foot, knee, or spine.

How do health care professionals diagnose a dislocated talocrural joint?

The health intendance professional needs to take a history as to how the injury occurred. Appreciating the mechanism helps makes sense of the injury and may help direct treatment. Past medical history and previous talocrural joint injury may provide useful information.

The dislocated talocrural joint is ofttimes diagnosed clinically by the appearance of the ankle. The physical examination can decide the abnormal relationship of the tibia, fibula, and talus. In addition to the ankle, the health care professional may besides examine the structures of the foot and knee, looking for other potential associated injuries.
Because claret vessels and fretfulness tin can become stretched and damaged when the talocrural joint dislocates, pulses and sensation in the foot are evaluated. Skin complications are common considering equally the skin stretches over a bony prominence when the ankle is dislocated, it can lose its blood supply and die.
X-ray is the initial diagnostic examination used to make up one's mind the extent of injury, where the bones are most each other, and whether a fracture is present. Once the dislocation is reduced and the bones realigned, another post-reduction X-ray may be done to confirm that realignment is good (bones in normal position).
Depending upon the state of affairs, CT or MRI scans might be considered to evaluate the damage to the joint surface, look for occult or subconscious fractures, and to assess the ligaments and tendons that environment and stabilize the ankle joint.

What is the handling for a confused ankle?

Once the initial evaluation is complete, the goal of emergency treatment of an ankle dislocation begins with trying to reduce the injury, returning the basic as close every bit possible to their normal anatomic position. Ofttimes the bones volition fall dorsum into identify with gentle traction. Sometimes medication is required to sedate the patient and aid the surrounding muscles relax.

If in that location is bear witness that the claret and nerve supply to the foot is in jeopardy or if the peel is tented and stretched and the clinical diagnosis of ankle dislocation is made, attempts to reduce the ankle articulation may exist necessary even before an X-ray is taken to preserve nerve and blood vessel role.
Once the talocrural joint pain is reduced, test of the blood and nerve supply to the foot is repeated and a temporary plaster or fiberglass splint is placed.
An orthopedic or podiatric consultation may need to occur emergently, especially if at that place are unstable fractures present, if nervus or artery damage exists, or if the ankle cannot be reduced and an emergency functioning is needed.
Even if the ankle dislocation is reduced, many times surgery is eventually required to stabilize the structures that were damaged. The determination as to whether surgery is required and what type of surgery might be needed is individualized for each patient and their situation.

What is the recovery time for a dislocated ankle?

After the initial treatment is complete, whether or not surgery is required, rehabilitation may take six to 12 weeks before returning the patient to their pre-injury activities.

IMAGES

Dislocated Ankle (Talocrural joint Dislocation) See a medical illustration of the foot plus our entire medical gallery of human anatomy and physiology Come across Images

What is the prognosis of an ankle dislocation?

While the goal for every injury is to return the patient to their pre-injury level of role, patients who take confused their talocrural joint may not necessarily be able to achieve that goal.

When the ankle dislocates, the blood supply to the cartilage that lines the bone within the articulation may be damaged, eventually leading to arthritis (arthro=joint + information technology is=inflammation). As well, if the bones do not perfectly marshal after injury, the risk of arthritis in the future increases.

Arthritis of the articulation may cause hurting and stiffness. Loss of range of motion in the ankle tin alter gait, and the motion of walking, and subsequently affect other parts of the skeleton including the hips and dorsum.

Is information technology possible to prevent a confused ankle?

A dislocated ankle is an adventitious injury and nearly often cannot be prevented.

The risk factors are few:

Recurrent sprained ankles that cause the joint to be lax
Weakness of the muscles that surroundings and support the talocrural joint, especially the peroneal muscle
Diseases that crusade joints to be hypermobile (for case, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, Marfan syndrome, Down syndrome)

Subscribe to MedicineNet'due south General Health Newsletter

By clicking Submit, I concur to the MedicineNet'due south Terms & Conditions & Privacy Policy and understand that I may opt out of MedicineNet's subscriptions at any time.

Medically Reviewed on v/27/2022

References

Richards, P.J., et al. "Ankle Fractures and Dislocations: a Pictorial Review." Trauma. xv.3 July 2013.

Sethi, Manish, M., et al. Orthopedic Traumatology: An Evidence Based Approach, 2nd Ed. Switzerland: Springer International Publishing, 2018.