Published on

The patient is a 24-year-old male who reports to urgent care with right ankle pain after falling from a ladder while cleaning out the gutters at his parents’ home. He reports that he was only a few rungs up but that he landed “awkwardly” and immediately felt a sharp pain on the front of the ankle. He is unable to bear weight but denies any numbness or tingling.

View the x-ray taken and consider what your diagnosis and next steps would be. Resolution of the case is described on the next page.

X-ray image 1 of the 24-year-old with pain after a fall
Figure 1
X-ray image 2 of the 24-year-old with pain after a fall
Figure 2
A 24-Year-Old Man with Ankle Pain After a Fall