Question - Broken Ankle (swelling after cast removal)

I broke my ankle playing football over four weeks ago and just recently got my cast off. When i broke it i severly twisted it and ended up laying on top of it, while it happened i felt several small pops then a larger one. The doctors told me i had a spiral fractured fibula and gave me a walking cast.

Once i had the cast put on my foot, it swelled and turned black and blue, leading me to believe i probably sprained it really bad on top of the break. I was able to walk on it after the first week and a half.

Now it has been two days since the cast was taken off and i am able to walk on it quite well as compared to another team member who broke the same bone two weeks earlier. He however doesn't have the swelling that i do around my ankle, which is what i'm asking about.

The swelling is quite hard and is mostly in the area below the joint, is it normal for my ankle to still be swollen and if so how long until it starts to go away?

Comments for
Question - Broken Ankle (swelling after cast removal)

Average Rating

Click here to add your own comments

Mar 17, 2010
Rating

twisted ankle
by: Anonymous

I broke my ankle October 22nd 2009 went straight to the ER had to have emergency surgrey off work until Jan 2010. It was a horrible experience. I have a plate and 9 screws on the outside and a screw and pin on the inside and the Dr. had to wrap metal wire around my ankle because I crushed that too... My life came to a complete stop. I was in a temp cast for 3 weeks then a boot that I hated for about 5 weeks with no pressure then I was able to walk on it. I am healed the Dr. said but I still have some pain and my ankle still swells. I am guessing it will take about a year to get back to my normal walking I still find myself limping.

Mar 17, 2010
Rating

Mar 13, 2010
Rating

Slipped on the ice 01/15/2010
by: Kellie

It sucks to break your ankle. It happened to me earlier this year. Now I have a lovely metal plate and 9 screws. I had a surgical cast for 2 weeks and then my doc put me in a walking boot, but I wasn't aloud to walk for 3 weeks after that. The whole time I wasn't walking my ankle and foot was super swollen. My doctor said it was normal and to keep is elevated as much as a could. It helped a lot to put ice on it. Once I started to walk again the swelling went down. I'm still in the boot. I don't think my ankle will ever look the same though. I measured it and it is an inch and a half bigger than my other one. Good luck! This is the type of thing you just have to stick out.

Oh and P.S. "Slipped on the ice 01/14/2010" by JJ, that really is something that we slipped on the ice on days back to back and ended up with probably pretty close to the same injury, and the same amount of screws and a metal plate.

Mar 08, 2010
Rating

Learn!
by: Anonymous

Hello.....I broke my right ankle, in 2004....Now my foot and ankle puffs and turns red...I admit i cut my cast off....was hobbled for 4 months....walked great until now.....Keep the casts on!!!!..........I have to see my doctor...might need surgery!!!....Good luck to all

Mar 03, 2010
Rating

Slipped on ice on 1/14/10
by: JJ

Almost 7 weeks since breaking tibia & fibula and small bone on inside of ankle broke off. Also disclocated ankle. Plate & 9 screws. FRUSTRATION is the theme. PT 3 times a week. Still lots of pain, swelling and numbness. Being 55 doesn't help. I keep excercising and keep elevated and iced as much as possible. I try to focus on "This too shall pass" but this REALLY SUCKS!!! Sure wish my employer had cleared walkways from snow a week before! I've heard it will be about a year until full recovery.

Feb 25, 2010
Rating

ankle
by: Anonymous

On ankle the swelling will take longer than normal, becuase its more complex then any over joint

Feb 20, 2010
Rating

Reply to rob
by: Anonymous

Where is the pain rob? Is it at the break area?

Feb 19, 2010
Rating

pain
by: rob

i just got my cast off today i fractered the growth plate in my ankle and it is extremly painfull to walk on is it supposed to hurt or should i call my docter

Feb 14, 2010
Rating

Swelling after fracture
by: Col81

I had an avulsion fracture in my foot a month ago, had walking cast on for 4 and a half weeks. Cast came off 3 days ago and I still have bad swelling, bruising and great weakness in my ankle and foot. Was advised that the swelling can take up to a year to go down completely!!! I can't walk on it very well as it is painful and I have no calf muscle strength which makes it difficult too! First physio session this Wednesday, dreading them moving my ankle around because it's so so tender. Need to be back at work after this week though and am dreading that because I'm on my feet all day moving around :(

Feb 11, 2010
Rating

fractured ankle
by: Anonymous

i fractured my ankle on the 26th of january 2010 went to the docters and had a cast on it went back 2weeks later and had my cast taken of the docter said that it was healing so i wont need another cast. but i was just wondering, my ankle is still swolen and would like to know how long it would take for the swelling to go down after having the cast removed

Jan 11, 2010
Rating

Healed in 2 weeks
by: Anonymous

NO, it feels much better with the cast on and there is not way it is healed properly in 2 weeks

Jan 10, 2010
Rating

Spiral Fracture Lft Ankle
by: Jim-NY

I fractured my ankle 2 weeks ago slippng on some ice spiral fracture on tibia, they put the cast on 2 weeks ago i feel no more pain and can walk on the leg do you think I healed that fast?

Jan 06, 2010
Rating

Jones and ankle break
by: Anonymous

I had broken my ankle in 2 places and also had a "Jones Break". I wore a plaster cast for 5-1/2 weeks and then wore an air cast for 2 weeks. The Dr. seemed to zero in on the jones break and totally ignored the ankle breaks, unless I brought it to his attention. I have been told I can go without the cast and only put it on when my foot hurts. This is the 2nd day without the cast and the ankle is really swollen today. Should I be worried? The side of the foot hurts too but is not unbearable.

Oct 25, 2009
Rating

ankle fracture
by: anto

i fractured my ankle playing soccer on 8th of september had my cast off 5 weeks later told to wear a air boot for couple of weeks ankle still swells up and can be quite sore can feel it tingling when i walk and i have a limp told i cant have physio for another couple of weeks p.....d off.

Oct 21, 2009
Rating

swelling after cast removal
by: Anonymous

Hi there,

Just wanted to comment that I broke my ankle back in July (an avulsion fracture of the fibula, no surgery required said I was lucky), and after my aircast was removed and I was allowed to walk on it, it was quite swollen. I believe it's quite normal, the swelling for me has went down in a month and a half, so just know that it will get smaller but could take awhile, but if there's anything that doesn't feel right then I would worry, but if it's just really swollen, I would say it's safe to assume that it's pretty normal :)

Oct 21, 2009
Rating

Swelling after broken ankle
by: Anonymous

I, too, had a broken ankle the end of July, 2009.
It was the talus medial side and bad sprains on the lateral side which also involved the top of my foot and the tibia. I had a cast on for 2 weeks; then they determined that the ankle joint was stable so they put a boot on. I had that sucker on for another month and a half. Had to use crutches non-weight-bearing for one month and then weight bearing with one crutch for another 3 weeks. There was a huge range of motion loss, weakness and lots of swelling. It really helped when I could walk without the crutch and started stationary recumbent biking and water exercises (everyone should try this -- it's so freeing -- I taught water aerobics for 15 years -- it will help improve the mobility much faster.) Physical therapy exercises are a must -- don't stop doing them. I continue to ice and elevate whenever it gets sore and I've been on it too long. I do believe that it will take a year before it feels completely normal.

Oct 10, 2009
Rating

ankle crack
by: Anonymous

i fell of my bike and fractured my ankle. The next day i got my temporay cast off and then got a propper 1 on 4 weeks later i get my cast taken off its healed but i cant walk my ankle tingles and my ankle is weak can people help me??

Oct 01, 2009
Rating

Swelling after cast is removed.
by: Hilda

I broke my angle 5 weeks ago. I slip off a tiny step,and heard my ankle pop. My injury was so bad my doctor said if I would have broken just by 1 centimeter higger I would have needed surgery. Well my cast just came off about 5 days ago. But, I have a question. Is it normal for my ankle to be swollen? Even though i can walk on it.

Sep 21, 2009
Rating

broken talus
by: Anonymous

I broke my talus bone on July 23, 2009. I was in a hard cast for 6 weeks and then I was put into a walking cast. I only wore the walking cast for about a week when I should have continued to wear it for at least two months. However, I can walk on it quite easily with minimal pain. My foot all the way to my shin is very swollen (especially the ankle) Can I expect this to last a while longer? None of my shoes fit my big fat foot....

Sep 03, 2009
Rating

6 weeks and finally out of my aircast
by: Anonymous

I had an avulsion fracture of my right fibula back on July.23rd ( sliding into 3rd base playing softball ) This is my 2nd day out of my aircast and I have swelling or I guess more like water retention in the ankle area, I'm assuming this is normal, as there's no pain present, although my foot is a bit stiff from my baby toe to the heal, and a bit of pain present when I walk but only along that side, which i assume again is normal after being in the aircast for 6 weeks, I have a call into my doctor to see if this is normal, just wondering if anyone else has experienced this? and is it normal?

Aug 31, 2009
Rating

How did you fracture?
by: Anonymous

Did you fracture your ankle while wearing those shoes?

Aug 15, 2009
Rating

ankle fracture
by: Anonymous

I fractured my ankle about 9 weeks ago and had my cast removed 2 days ago. My ankle is swollen and I can't fit in my shoes. when will I be able to wear my normal shoes again? Also I am female and I like to wear heels.

Nov 20, 2008
Rating

swelling after fracture
by: Bart - SII

It is very normal to have swelling after a fracture like this, especially if there was an associated sprain as well. After being in the cast for 4 weeks, the body has absorbed much of the fluid part of the swelling and now what remains is the solid parts - blood cells, scar tissue, etc.

It will likely start to go away over the next few weeks as you begin to use your ankle normally, walking and doing exercises - however, it is very common to have some swelling remain for months or even years after a bad sprain or fracture.

Massage over the swollen areas may help to reduce it. Also, exercises that strengthen the ankle and work on range of motion may help.

Bart