It is possible that your ankle will not be returned to its original position after this procedure. There are several reasons why this can occur. When a bone fractures into many pieces, it may be difficult to determine the original location of all the pieces. It is also possible that the fractured bone cannot be held in place with hardware. This is often the case when there are many fracture fragments or if you have severe osteoporosis or thinning of the bone from age or disease.

These conditions can lead to early development of arthritis in the joint, causing pain and limited range of motion.