A medial malleolus stress fracture is a type of injury that speaks for itself. It is a fracture caused by stress due to repetitive use or movement of the medial malleolus which is located on the inside of the ankle. This type of injury though is not as common as the other types of problems in our bodies. There is a little percentage that a person would have this issue in his life. However, in case you find yourself battling against this fracture, the best thing to do is to get help.
Almost all types of fractures include the degeneration of function of the part of body that was affected. The same thing is true with a medial malleolus stress fracture. The ankle when moved is uncomfortable and feels pain especially when walking or running. Although your range of motion is still available, you will notice that you are having a hard time moving around basically due to the pain and discomfort. Your flexibility will also be put to minimal as pain will settle in as soon as you've acquired the problem.
The common tell tale of a medial malleolus fracture is pain right at the inside of the ankle. Tenderness can be felt if you place your finger on this area. Swelling may or may not be present depending on the situation of the medial malleolus. Severe conditions would include inflammation on the signs and symptoms of the injury. Don't waste your time getting it x-rayed as there are possibilities that the problem may or may not be detected with this type of test. However, you can always perform a bone scan, MRI or CT scan to make sure of the degree of injury you have.
Relax and take a rest as soon as the doctor has confirmed that you have this type of bone fracture. Immobilization is the best way of keeping your damaged ankle intact and preventing additional issues. If you are planning on having massage therapy, make sure that you inform your doctor to avoid complications. Some medical professionals find it unnecessary and quite risky for a patient to receive a massage treatment when recovering from a fracture. Instead, you can take conservative methods that are proven to be safe and effective on many types of injuries.
Aircast ankle braces are good stuffs that give support and protection for the joints while the ankle is under recovery and rehabilitation process. It is necessary to wear supporters such as this in order to avoid inflicting more damages to the medial malleolus. In case there is swelling, place an ice pack on top of the area so that you can prevent further inflammation. This process is known as cold therapy which is quite popular when it comes to relieving pain and swelling.
In case the condition is persistent and does not improve after long weeks of healing and recovery processes, obviously you need to shift to more serious methods. Surgical fixation would be your best solution in restoring the affected function and poor condition of your lower limb(s).