Ankle Fractures in Children - An Educational Guide

It won’t be wrong to say that children are more prone to fractures than adults. Their bones are still growing, and their activity level is higher. Children keep running here & there, jumping around, and playing with friends, thus, the chances of fractures become high. If the break is severe, Orthopedic Implants may require to be applied.

The lower extremity of our body is among the most fractured areas of the body, and the commonest reason for this is that it bears most of the body’s weight. In this post, we will majorly focus on discussing ankle fractures that occur in children.

People of all age groups can experience fractures at least once, and there could be multiple causes of the condition. The severity of the fracture is defined by its cause, location, and age of the person. Let us focus on our topic of discussion.

What Are Ankle Fractures?

Ankle fracture is a break in one of the three bones that form the ankle joint. The fibula, tibia, and talus are bones that form the ankle joint that also has two bony prominences one on each side.

Children experience ankle fractures commonly due to falls or sudden twisting of the ankle while playing. Traumatic injuries are also among the causes of ankle fractures in kids. The ankle is known to be the second commonest location for physicals injury in children.

What Are the Signs and Symptoms Associated with Ankle Fractures?

Some of the common symptoms noticed in pediatric ankle fractures include:

Swelling and pain around the ankle

Tenderness to touch

Bruising

Deformity around the ankle

Inability to apply weight on the injured ankle

How Pediatric Ankle Fractures Are Diagnosed?

The diagnosis of the condition often starts with a physical examination. The healthcare service provider here examines the injured ankle for visible signs like swelling, tenderness to touch, bruising, and pain. Besides this, imaging tests like x-ray, CT scan, MRI, and/or ultrasound are performed to confirm the severity of the condition.

In some cases, contrast liquid is also given to the child to get better and clear pictures in the x-ray.

How Are Ankle Fractures Treated?

Different methods are there to treat pediatric ankle fractures depending upon the severity of the fracture. Below mentioned are the treatment procedures that are used in the case of pediatric ankle fractures.

Application of Assistive Devices

In mild fractures where surgery is not required, the healthcare service provider will apply a cast, splint, or brace to immobilize the injured ankle. This is important to ensure proper bone healing. When any of these assistive devices are applied, it is advised not to put any weight on the ankle as doing so might make the condition worse.

Closed Reduction

Closed reduction is a procedure where the healthcare service provider realigns the dislocated or fractured bone without any incision. This is often feasible in moderate cases where multiple bone fragments are not there, or the displacement is not too much.

Medication

Whether surgical or non-surgical, medicines to curb pain and inflammation are often prescribed.

Open Reduction

Open reduction is a conventional surgery where an incision is made to realign the broken bones and stabilize them using special orthopedic implants. ORIF (Open Reduction and Internal Fixation) is considered the last treatment option when all other methods fail, or the injury is too severe.

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