An ankle dislocation occurs when a significant amount of force causes the bones in the ankle joint to move out of their proper alignment.

Ankle dislocations can occur with or without fractures, but are far more likely to occur with a fracture. Ankle dislocations also commonly occur in conjunction with ligament injuries, such as sprains and tears.

Individuals who suffer ankle dislocation typically experience these symptoms:

• Intense pain at the time of injury
• Swelling and bruising at the ankle joint
• A visible deformity of the ankle joint
• Difficulty moving the foot and ankle
• Inability to bear weight on the injured leg

An ankle dislocation is a serious injury and warrants immediate medical attention. The dislocation must be relocated back into the joint. The foot and ankle subspecialists at Lancaster Orthopedic Group will examine the ankle and evaluate where there was any neurovascular compromise of the foot. An X-ray can determine if a bone was fractured.

Your physician will perform a reduction to return the ankle back to its correct natural position. After the reduction, the ankle will be placed in a splint or cast to immobilize it until the ligaments heal.

If the ankle dislocation also involved a bone fracture, surgery is often required to relocate the bones. If the ankle cannot be reduced to return it to its normal alignment, surgery may be needed to realign the joint.