Dear all,
This is actually a new problem addition to the 'problematic ankle' thread, and apologies since I am not actually a physio (I am a community nurse) since this is to do with my 12 year old daughter (13 in December). I am asking you all out there since she seems to be getting nowhere at present!

Like one of the other patients she is a dancer and a very serious one (has been offered a place at a vocational full time school). 3 years ago had a right lateral malleolus fracture and an MUA to correct it, in cast for 3 weeks then weeks of traditional physio - ankle turns, strengthening with thera bands, balancing exercises then gradually weight bearing. She seemed to recover fully then 6 months later appeared to have a bad sprain. Repeated all of recovery regime except for cast.

Nothing after that till January when had fall on mini-trampette (purchase of which advised by last physios!) She had been doing a lot of dancing prior to this, some on pointe. Was startled at hospital to hear she might have a non-union of distal fibula from original fracture. Was worried re this so got second opinion. The second consultant has a special interest in non-unions and is a paediatric orthopaedic surgeon. He was not sure if if was a non-union or a kind of malformation of fibula, malformation meaning that the distal part of the fibula had never united properly with the rest. Have only just got him the original xrays and have not had a definitive diagnosis out of him 3 weeks after my daughter has come out of her cast.

Have commenced physio - therabands again, balances etc but when she does double rises there is a clicking sound in her right ankle and a brief pain when she rises up. The pain she describes as a 1 on a 1-10 pain scale. Because of this it is difficult to strengthen the ankles more. She says she tends to rise quicker and not develop control because of trying to get past the pain. The pain has not got any worse and only occurs in rises. She does not experience pain in any other situation - she walks to school forty minutes a day and is very healthy in every other way. I am worried because I do not want to cause any more damage to her ankle. But as a dancer she certainly cannot progress without resolving this problem. she has just taken (for those ballet fans out there) her rad intermediate foundation with a distinction and had commenced her intermediate training.
Even if she cannot do dance, athletics are her other great love and I am worried about her ankle in this respect also!

Any physio advice very greatly appreciated. sorry for long post.
am petrified of surgery she may have to undergo. she has already spent so much time in a cast!

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