Talus bone makes the top part of our ankle. It also connects the foot to the tibia and fibula. If we talk about its position in our foot, then it lies just above the calcaneus or heel bone. With the calcaneus bone, the talus plays a major role in ensuring smooth walking.
A fracture to the talus bone will result in walking problems and if the condition does not heal properly, walking inability could last lifelong. Thus, in case of serious injury, surgery using bone screws and bone plates is preferred.
Siora Surgicals Private Ltd. is one of the leading manufacturers of bone screws, bone plates, and External Fixator System along with other orthopedic devices in India.
Conditions Resulting to Talus Fracture
Talus fracture occurs due to serious trauma to the foot. The condition could result due to automobile accident or fall from a great height. Besides this, badly twisting the ankle during sports activities or even while walking could also be the reason for the talus fracture.
Talus Fracture Classification
Minimally Displaced Fracture
Also known as stable fracture, minimally displaced fracture is characterized by the slight movement of the broken bone.
Symptoms of a stable fracture
- Acute pain in the ankle
- Mild swelling and tenderness
Displaced Fracture
In displaced fracture conditions, the broken bone leaves its normal position. This is the reason why such types of fractures are also known as unstable fractures.
Symptoms of unstable fracture
- Severe pain and swelling
- Inability to put weight on the injured ankle
- High tenderness
Open Fracture
This condition is the most serious one when compared to the other two. In case of an open fracture, the broken bone pierces the skin and comes out. Open fractures also cause damage to muscles, nerves, tendons, and ligaments.
Symptoms of open fracture
- Very intense pain
- High bleeding
- Bone sticking through the skin
Treatment of Talus Fracture
Non-surgical treatment
The non-surgical treatment is most commonly advised for stable fractures where the broken bone gets displaced slightly from its position. This fracture can heal without surgery, but the decision will be taken by the surgeon after proper examination using X-ray reports. For non-surgical treatment, the cast can be applied for 6 to 8 weeks and rehabilitation is done after its removal.
Surgical Treatment
Surgical treatment is the best option for unstable and open fractures. In such types of fractures, the broken bone leaves its normal anatomical position, hence, surgery is the best possible option to bring back the fractured bones in their correct alignment.
Open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) is the surgical procedure done for the fixation of broken bones. ORIF involves the application of bone plates and bone screws after repositioning bone fragments. These orthopaedic implant help broken bone fragments hold together until they heal completely.
Wrapping It Up
Bones are known to have an excellent ability to recover, but the duration they take completely depends upon the extent of the injury. The only thing we need to consider is the right treatment at right time and this implies to all kinds of fractures including talus fractures.
After going through this post, you must have got an idea of what actually talus fracture is and which treatment methods are used to fix it. If this is the case, then the purpose of preparing this informative post has been fulfilled.