A bone fracture is another term for a broken bone. Fractures can range from small cracks in the bone (hairline fractures) to breaks that have separated the bone into three or more pieces (comminuted fractures). Your ankles and feet are made up of some the most commonly injured bones and joints in the body, which makes them some of the most prone for breaks – broken toes are especially common.

The ankle is a hinge-type joint that connects the leg to the foot. Three bones fit together snugly here, and are supported by strong ligaments. An ankle fracture is a break of one or more of these bones. These fractures can sometimes be mistaken as sprains, as the symptoms are very similar. The foot (including toes) is very complex – made up of 33 joints, more than 100 muscles, and 26 bones varying in size. The foot is also broken up into 3 parts:

•   Forefoot – toes (phalanges) and the metatarsals
•   Midfoot – arches and top of foot
•   Hindfoot – heel to the ankle

Some of the most common causes of ankle fractures are:

•   Rolling the ankle (in or out)
•   Severely twisting the ankle
•   Over extension
•   Severe impact & direct force on the ankle