A pilon fracture is a type of break of the shinbone (tibia) that happens near the ankle. Most of the time, it involves breaks in both the tibia and fibula of the lower leg. The lower ends of these bones make up part of the ankle.
If you've sprained your ankle, you know what pain is. But maybe that "sprain" was a "strain" or possibly even a "break." The amount of pain in each case can be virtually equal.