Why Does My Ankle Still Hurt Nearly a Decade After Breaking It?

Understanding how your ankle functions is crucial to comprehend why it might still hurt after a break, especially if it’s been nearly a decade since the fracture. An ankle, where several bones come together and are supported by numerous tendons and ligaments, is involved in a significant amount of weight-bearing and movement every day.

Even when you're standing still, your ankle joint is involved in almost every movement you make. When it functions properly, you don’t give its mechanics a second thought. However, when issues arise, the pain can become debilitating.

What's Normal in Ankle Injuries?

It’s important to understand that it is normal for ankle injuries to persist for some time, especially if there is no fracture. After 10 months, the likelihood of a fracture is very low, but this doesn’t mean the pain will disappear. The injury and its after-effects can have lasting impacts on your ankle’s functionality and comfort.

Was your leg hurting during the preceding five years? Also, where did you break it, and what bone was involved? If the break healed, it might never be the same as an unbroken bone, especially if hardware such as pins and plates were involved. These can cause chronic pain.

Common Causes of Persistent Ankle Pain

When you hurt yourself, you scar as you heal – this can happen on a microscopic level all the way up to a large scar. An ankle break is a severe injury compared to a sprain, which is a soft tissue injury. Scar tissue formation, while crucial for healing, can sometimes lead to additional pain and discomfort. Your body acts like a clam depositing nacre on a pearl or superglue when fixing a part. However, this scar is not perfect and can grow around nerves, causing pain. Additionally, if the injury wasn’t completely aligned, it can lead to neural and ligament injuries, which can result in long-term pain and issues.

Other common causes of persistent ankle pain post-fracture include the development of arthritis in the affected joint. It’s essential to rule out other potential causes and ensure proper treatment. Consulting with an orthopedist can help diagnose and address the underlying issues.

Seeking Professional Help

Any time you hurt yourself, you should consider seeing a doctor. Pain in the legs can be caused by a range of factors, so a thorough evaluation is necessary. You should call your orthopedist’s office and converse with them about your symptoms. They will need to conduct a physical examination, take a detailed history, and possibly order X-rays, MRIs, or CT scans to diagnose the issue accurately.

Once the cause is identified, your orthopedist can outline a course of treatment options, which may include medications, physical therapy, or surgical interventions, if necessary. The key is to seek professional help as soon as possible to ensure the best possible outcomes in managing and resolving your ankle pain.