To make sure the bone is lined up the right way, an X-ray is taken. Then the ankle is put in a cast to hold the bone in place during healing. You’ll likely have to wear the cast for several weeks. For less severe fractures, a walking boot, brace, or splint may be all that’s needed to hold the bone in place during healing.

Once your fracture has been treated, your healthcare provider will tell you how to help it heal. You may be told to limit ankle use or weight-bearing activities. You may have to take medicines and elevate the foot. If you have a cast, remember to keep it dry.

If you have a clean break with little soft tissue damage, closed reduction may be used. Before the procedure, you may be given medicine to relax your muscles. Then your healthcare provider manually readjusts the position of the broken bone.

If you have an open fracture (bone sticking out through the skin), badly misaligned parts of bone, or severe tissue injury, open reduction may be needed. You may be given medicine during the procedure to let you sleep and relax your muscles. Your healthcare provider then makes one or more cuts (incisions) to realign the bone and fix soft tissue. Screws or plates may be used to hold the bone in place during healing.