The ankle is a complex, weight bearing joint and its injury results in a severe functional disturbance of complex anatomical characteristics.

It is very important to understand the mechanism of trauma in order to make definite diagnosis and proper treatment.

The author analysed 54 cases (54 patients) of the ankle fractures which were admitted and treated in orthopaedic department, Chonbuk National University Hospital from Jan. 1986 to Feb. 1990.

The following results were obtained.

1. Of the 54 cases, male was 40 cases (74%), female was 14 cases(26%) and average age of the patients was 35.7 years.

2. Most common cause of fracture was traffic accident(61.6%).

3. The musculoskeletal system injury was most frequently associated with.

4. Open Fractures were 6 cases(11%), and closed fractures 48 cases(89%).

5. According to the classification of Lauge-Hansen, the most common type of the ankle fracture was pronation-external rotation type(33.3%) and type C was most common in Weber classification(51.9%).

6. 47 cases(87%) were treated by open reduction and 7 cases(12.9%) by closed reduction and average duration of immobilization 2as 7.5 weeks in open reduction and 9.1 weeks in closed reduction.

7. Accurate reduction and rigid internal fixation of the fractured lateral malleolus, involving the distal tibiofibular syndesmosis was very important in treatment of the ankle fracture.

8. In clinical and radiological analysis, the better results were obtained from open reduction.