Ankle pain after breaking my foot.

I fractured my foot in June, I was put in a walking boot for 3 weeks, I am now out of the boot and my foot feels fine but I am having sharp pain on the outside of my ankle and if I put too much pressure on my heel I have a lot of pain also. I was told the fracture happened because my tendon cracked the bone when I fell.

Is this normal for there to be pain from healing in my ankle now or could their be another problem?

[S. Kaul, MD]

Hi there!

It might have been a small avulsion fracture (due to the tendon pull) for conservative management to be considered appropriate. Though slight discomfort may be considered within the normal range after resuming weight bearing and movement, this should not normally amount to pain. I would suggest getting this evaluated by your orthopedician to look for the healing of the fractured segment and other secondary causes that could possibly be related, such as infections, inflammations, mal-union, nerve impingement/ pressure etc. Till the time it is advised to avoid movement and weight bearing on the foot. You may also try some ice-packs or NSAIDS if the pain is severe.
Hope this helps.

Take care!