Get medical advice as soon as possible if you think you have broken your ankle. It may need treatment to heal properly.
Do not worry if you do not know if your ankle is broken, dislocated or sprained. Get it checked by a doctor.
raise your ankle if possible
gently hold an ice pack (or a bag of frozen peas) wrapped in a towel on your ankle for 15 to 20 minutes every 2 to 3 hours
stop any bleeding – put pressure on the wound using a clean cloth or dressing
if your ankle is not at an odd angle, wrap it loosely in a bandage to help support it
remove any jewellery on your ankle or toes
take paracetamol
do not take ibuprofen until you have seen a doctor
do not eat or drink anything in case you need surgery
do not move or put weight on your ankle if possible
You'll usually have an X-ray to check if your ankle is broken and see how bad the break is.
If you have a very minor break, you may not need any treatment.
For a more serious break, you may need:
You'll usually have follow-up appointments to check your ankle is healing properly.
A broken ankle usually takes 6 to 8 weeks to heal, but it can take longer.
The doctor will tell you:
Once it's healed, use your ankle as normal. Moving it will stop it getting stiff.
You may need to see a physiotherapist. They can help you with exercises to get your foot and ankle gently moving again.
Ask your doctor when you can return to contact sports or other activities that put a lot of strain on your ankle.
It's important to follow any advice you're given by the hospital or fracture clinic.
There are some things you can do to ease pain and help your broken ankle recover.
rest and raise your ankle whenever possible
take paracetamol or the painkiller your doctor has given you to ease pain
gently move your toes and bend your knee while wearing the boot or cast to ease stiff muscles
do not get your plaster cast wet
do not carry heavy things
do not move your ankle too much
do not use anything to scratch under your cast