Trimalleolar Ankle Fracture: Causes, Symptoms and Management

*This page may contain affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

When any fracture in your ankle badly affects the medial and lateral malleolus along with the lower part of the tibia, it is referred to as a trimalleolar ankle fracture.

It is also known as a tri-malleolar fracture and is a serious medical condition requiring surgery and a recovery period of at least 6-8 weeks.

This medical condition may become complicated by blood vessel damage, arthritis, infection, and nerve damage.

Various other types of ankle injuries can be distal fibular fractures, bimalleolar ankle fractures, tibia shaft fractures, and proximal fibular fractures.

How do trimalleolar fractures occur?

Trimalleolar Ankle Fracture

Trimalleolar ankle fracture may affect a person if he or she trips on any object, falls onto the ground, slip on any slippery path, or steps into an open hole on the road.

Car and truck accidents can also result in trimalleolar ankle fractures.

So it’s best to walk carefully to avoid any such accidents from taking place.

Diagnosis is made with an X-ray to determine the exact locations and intensity of injury in the ankle.

In some cases, a CT scan is required to evaluate the injury more deeply so that proper treatment can be given to the sufferer.

The symptoms

The common symptoms of trimalleolar fractures are swelling, severe pain, bruises, and tenderness.

Loss of function and deformity that is seen depends on the severity of the fracture.

A person affected by ankle dislocation may also be unable to put any weight on his injured leg.

The affected ankle may be found displaced depending upon the intensity of an ankle injury.

The management

Once the diagnosis is over and the problem is confirmed as an ankle fracture, the immediate next measure will be packing up the particular ankle fracture joint and making it immovable.

The Trimalleolar fractured ankle joint should not be moved further for a few weeks to months till it is fusing properly.

The duration of the fusion of fractured ankle joints and bones depends on several factors like age, sex, metabolic disorders, bone density, etc.

Generally, the Plaster of Paris is used to pack the fractured ankle joint so that it will remain immovable and thus makes the joint get fuse healthily.

Along with a few medications for pain relief, physical therapy for trimalleolar ankle fractures is mostly recommended by doctors to enhance the healing process and time.

Patient with a trimalleolar ankle fracture, who want to move and go out urgently, is usually recommended to use a walking boot cast for their broken ankle, which helps them in making their feet relaxed while moving.

Trimalleolar ankle fracture compensation

Trimalleolar ankle fractures are undoubtedly a very serious injury and require a high amount of money for their proper treatment.

The sufferer has to undergo surgery and will be forced to keep their feet off the ground for several weeks or months, depending upon the intensity of the injury.

Such ankle fractures can badly affect the life of a sufferer on a permanent level by restricting his or her participation in any kind of physical activity like jogging and walking etc.

You’ll be amazed to read that if you have suffered from any trimalleolar fracture or cotton fracture in an accident that happened without your fault, you will be entitled to compensation for your medical expenses, pain, and suffering, lost earnings, and accident-related expenses as well.

To claim compensation, you just need to contact a well-qualified personal injury attorney in your area who can handle expenses related to your trimalleolar ankle fracture injury in the most efficient way.

Incoming search terms:
  • trimalleolar fracture
  • trimalleolar ankle fracture
  • Life After Trimalleolar Fracture