Alternative Names & Classifications:
Broken Ankle (CLINICAL), Malleolar Fracture (CLINICAL)
Description
A malleolar fracture involves a break in the tibia or fibula bones at the ankle joint, typically caused by severe twisting, rolling, or high-impact trauma. Depending on the force, a patient can break the lateral, medial, or posterior malleolus, and sometimes all three simultaneously (trimalleolar fracture). These fractures critically destabilize the ankle joint and frequently require surgical plates and screws to heal correctly.