The Resected Distal Fibula

While the most common causes of ankle fractures are from sports injuries, there are many different ways that ankle fractures can happen. As a Seattle Car Accident Lawyer, I am aware of the physical repercussions that an auto accident can have on the human body. While airbags have been installed in most vehicles since the mid 1970’s, they still don’t provide 100% protection to the victims of a serious auto collision. Deploying from the steering wheel and/or dashboard, airbags only manage to protect the arms, face and upper torso of the passenger while the lower body is still left at risk of serious injury particularly if a body is ejected from the vehicle or stuck inside a crushed car.

A resected distal fibula is one of these severe lower body injuries. The distal fibula is the prominent bone on the outside of the ankle. If the ankle is twisted or rolled, the distal fibula will experience most of the pressure. A fracture involving the distal fibula can sometimes be mistaken for a simple ankle sprain, but is much worse. Treating the injury correctly is critical, and can mean the difference between a fast and a long-term recovery. While sprains are more common injuries, fractures are much more serious. An ankle fracture will occur when enough external force is pushed on the joints to cause a crack or break in the bone. Because of this, it is often useful in determining the exact injury to identify the position of the ankle when the injury occurred.

The ankle joint is made up of three bones: the distal tibia, distal fibula and talus bones. Ankle stability is dependent on these three parts of the ankle working in cohesion. If any of these parts are disabled, the ankle will become unstable and painful to apply weight to. Hence, when someone sustains an ankle fracture, it is very difficult to apply any weight on the ankle in question. In most mild cases of an ankle fracture, a doctor will give the injured ankle a splint or an air cast.

Crutches may be necessary if the pain is too great. People suffering from this injury will likely be asked to take pressure off their foot and keep it iced, elevated and compressed. If slight pain persists over a long period of time, the cause could be that the ankle bones didn’t fuse together properly. Just as a machine wears out faster with faulty parts, the ankle can become painfully sore after a while. In this case, a surgery known as an “ankle fusion” may need to be performed. In this operation, a surgeon will make an incision in the skin to open the joint. Then, with a surgical saw, they will cut the cartilage between the ankle joints and allow the body to heal properly. The healing process can take anywhere from eight to twelve weeks.

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