Diagnosis

Your doctor will examine your ankle to check for points of tenderness. The precise location of your pain can help determine its cause.

Your doctor may move your foot into different positions to check your range of motion. You may be asked to walk for a short distance so that your doctor can examine your gait.

Tests

If your signs and symptoms suggest a break or fracture, your doctor may suggest one or more of the following imaging tests.

• X-rays. Most ankle fractures can be visualized on X-rays. The technician may need to take X-rays from several different angles so that the bone images won't overlap too much. Stress fractures often don't show up on X-rays until the break actually starts healing.
• Bone scan. A bone scan can help your doctor diagnose fractures that don't show up on X-rays. A technician will inject a small amount of radioactive material into a vein. The radioactive material is attracted to your bones, especially the parts of your bones that have been damaged. Damaged areas, including stress fractures, show up as bright spots on the resulting image.
• Computerized tomography (CT). CT takes X-rays from many different angles and combines them to make cross-sectional images of internal structures of your body. CT scans can reveal more detail about the injured bone and the soft tissues that surround it. A CT scan may help your doctor determine the best treatment for your broken ankle.
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MRI uses radio waves and a strong magnetic field to create very detailed images of the ligaments that help hold your ankle together. This imaging helps to show ligaments and bones and can identify fractures not seen on X-rays.