WASHINGTON — Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor broke her ankle this morning in an airport stumble on her way to Washington to meet with senators who will vote on her confirmation.

The federal judge, who has been keeping up a busy schedule of appointments on Capitol Hill, tripped at New York's LaGuardia Airport before boarding a flight to Washington and sustained a fracture to her right ankle, the White House said.

She was keeping her six appointments with senators despite the injury, which has her walking with crutches.

Sotomayor has set a relentless pace since her Capitol Hill debut last week. By day's end today, she will have met with one-third of the Senate in just four days of visits.

The White House is pressing for her quick confirmation, and Sotomayor wasn't pausing much for distractions, even her own trip-up. She even stopped at the White House today after her arrival in Washington, before heading to the hospital for an X-ray.

The George Washington University Medical Faculty Associates treated and released her, according to a White House statement.