Even Supreme Court nominees need podiatrists!

Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor broke her ankle Monday morning in an airport stumble, then boarded her flight to Washington and met with senators who will vote on her confirmation.

According to the White House, the federal judge, who has been keeping up a busy set of appointments on Capitol Hill, tripped at New York's LaGuardia Airport and sustained a small fracture to her right ankle. She entered the Capitol on crutches, wearing a below the knee cast.

Which bones are involved in an ankle fracture?
The ankle is a complex joint that forms where the tibia, fibula, and talus bones come together. Both the tibia and the fibula wrap around the talus to form the ankle joint. The bony prominences at the ankle are called the medial malleolus (the end of the tibia) and the lateral malleolus (the end of the fibula). The ends of these bones for a cup for the talus to sit within.

The Broken Ankle
When a broken ankle occurs, the injury may be to the talus, the medial malleolus or to the lateral malleolus, or a combination of these bones. There are many different type of ankle fractures. The point is, every ankle fracture MUST be treated individually. You must see your foot doctor and go over the treatment plan with him or her.

Common symptoms of an ankle fracture include:
Pain to touch
Swelling
Bruising
Inability to walk on the leg
Deformity around the ankle

If an ankle fracture is suspected you should see your doctor or go to the emergency room. X-rays will be done to determine the extent of the injury. Other injuries may also occur around the ankle joint, including ankle sprains, Achilles tendon ruptures, and other problems that may be confused with a broken ankle. It is important to be properly evaluated so that a treatment plan can be developed.
Once the injury has been determined, a treatment plan is made that is appropriate for the type of ankle fracture, such as a below the knee cast like the one Sonia Sotomayor has.