Finding the right tests…
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Emergency services available 24 x 7
Finding the right tests…
X-Ray
Most people booked for this X-ray have just twisted or fallen on their ankle, and their doctor wants to rule out a broken bone before treating it as a sprain. The AP view is angled straight through the front of the joint and picks up soft-tissue swelling and many subtle fractures around the two ankle bones, the malleoli, while the lateral view, taken from the side, shows the fracture pattern more clearly and can reveal fluid inside the joint. Not every twisted ankle actually needs an X-ray. Doctors often check specific tender spots and whether you can walk four steps before deciding imaging is worth ordering at all.
The AP image is read for bone alignment, width, and soft-tissue swelling around the joint, while the lateral image is read for the fracture line itself and any fluid built up inside the joint. Together, the two angles cover more of an acutely injured ankle than a single view would show on its own.
A widely used clinical checklist, the Ottawa Ankle Rules, guides whether this X-ray gets ordered at all. Bone tenderness at specific points near the ankle bones, or being unable to take four steps right after the injury, are the kind of findings that push a doctor toward imaging rather than treating it as a straightforward sprain. The checklist was built specifically to cut down on X-rays that come back normal, without missing real fractures.
The AP view lines the beam straight through the front of the ankle and is useful for spotting soft-tissue swelling and many fracture lines. The lateral view, taken from the side, is better at showing fluid inside the joint and confirming how a fracture pattern runs. Reading the two together gives a more complete check than either view alone.
A normal ankle X-ray does not rule out a ligament tear, since X-rays show bone rather than the soft tissue that holds the joint together. If pain and swelling continue despite a clear film, your doctor may consider an MRI or ultrasound instead.
No. Doctors often use a checklist called the Ottawa Ankle Rules, checking specific tender points and whether you can walk four steps, to decide who actually needs imaging. If you don't meet those criteria, your doctor may treat the injury as a sprain without ordering an X-ray.
The front view and the side view each show something the other doesn't, one is better for spotting soft-tissue swelling and subtle fracture lines, the other for confirming the fracture pattern and checking for fluid in the joint. Together they give a fuller picture than a single image.
Not directly. X-rays show bone, not ligaments or tendons, so a suspected ligament tear usually needs an ultrasound or MRI to confirm. Persistent swelling after a normal X-ray is often what prompts that next step.
This page is general information about the test, not medical advice. Your own report's reference ranges apply — please discuss your results with your doctor.
There's no special preparation tied to this test itself. Ask your doctor or the centre directly if they want anything specific from you beforehand.
Yes, the ankle needs to be free of shoes, socks, and any jewelry near the joint so the image isn't obscured. The technologist will guide you through positioning.
An ankle X-ray uses a low, carefully controlled amount of radiation, and staff use the smallest dose needed for a clear image. Tell the technologist if you are or might be pregnant, even though this exposure is well away from the abdomen.
That depends entirely on what the film shows and what your doctor advises. Follow your doctor's instructions on weight-bearing rather than testing it yourself.