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Your ankle is a complex joint that consists of bones, ligaments, tendons, cartilage, and muscles that enable you to run, walk and jump. Damage or injury to any of these structures can lead to ankle pain. Ankle pain can result from overuse, trauma, or medical conditions. Sometimes you can relieve your ankle pain with home remedies like cold compressors, rest, or over-the-counter medications. If your pain does not improve within three days, visit your Genesis Regenerative Sports and Aesthetic Medicine doctor for evaluation. There are many causes of ankle pain, including:
Achilles tendonitis
Achilles tendinitis is the inflammation of the Achilles tendon, a tissue band that connects the calf muscle to your heel bone. It can cause pain and swelling in your ankle. Achilles tendinitis mostly affects runners due to repetitive use of the Achilles tendon. You can treat mild Achilles tendonitis with rest and ice therapy. If your Achilles tendinitis persists and you do not seek medical care, your tendon may rupture, requiring surgical repair.
Bursitis
Bursitis is a painful condition where your bursae, the fluid-filled sacs that cushion your bones, tendons, and muscles near your joints, become inflamed. It mostly happens in joints that perform repetitive motion. When bursitis affects your ankle joint, the ankle may feel achy and stiff, appear swollen and red and hurt when you press on it.
Ankle sprain
An ankle sprain happens when you roll, twist, or turn your ankle in an awkward position. An awkward twist can stretch or tear your ankle ligaments; tough tissue bands hold bones together. A sprain may cause tenderness, swelling, a restricted range of motion, and pain, especially when you put weight on the affected ankle. A fall, another person stepping on your ankle or landing awkwardly on your foot, can lead to an ankle sprain.
Arthritis
Arthritis is a common condition that affects most joints in your body, including the ankle, hand, knee, and shoulder joints. It develops when the cartilage, the tissue in joints that cushion bones, breaks down, causing bones to rub together. Ankle arthritis causes pain and stiffness. Various types of arthritis can affect your ankles, but rheumatoid and osteoarthritis are the most common.
Flat feet
A flat foot is where a kid’s arch does not develop fully. Injuries or simple wear and tear from aging can also lead to a flat foot. Flat feet can lead to pain and swelling in your ankles. To relieve pain, your doctor may recommend you use arch supports, stretching exercises, and physical therapy. Surgery can also help repair bone and tendons, causing ankle pain.
Stress fractures
A stress fracture is a tiny crack in a bone. Ankle stress fractures can result from repetitive activities like jumping and running long distances. Osteoporosis, a type of arthritis, can also weaken your ankle bones leading to stress fractures. Pain from stress fractures worsens with time. The affected ankle might swell and become tender. Cold compressors can help reduce pain and swelling, and your doctor can recommend surgery in severe cases.
Ankle pain happens when any structure of the ankle is damaged or injured. The common causes of ankle pain include tendinitis, arthritis, bursitis, stress fractures, and flat foot. Schedule an appointment at Genesis Orthopaedic and Spine for ankle pain treatment to resume normal walking.
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