Ankle Pain

What are the most common causes of ankle pain?

A number of injuries and conditions can result in ankle pain. The following are some of the most common ankle injuries:

• Bursitis: That’s the inflammation of fluid-filled sacs that cushion your bones as they move. The bursas become inflamed and irritated when bursitis occurs.
• Fractures: An accident or injury can result in bones breaking (fractures). The severity of ankle fractures varies. There are many parts of the ankle joint that can break. Ankle swelling and pain are symptoms of a broken ankle.
• Pain in the ankle is often caused by sprained ankles. Sprained ankles are caused by strained or torn ligaments. Twisted or sprained ankles happen when the ankle rolls forcefully.
• Tendonitis is an inflammation of the tendons caused by irritation. A tendon connects a muscle to a bone. Tendons can sometimes tear (such as an Achilles tendon rupture). Surgical process may be needed for torn tendons.

Various diseases, conditions, and disorders can also cause ankle pain. These include:

• Infection
• Arthritis
• Gout
• Flatfoot

Symptoms

Pain in the ankle is often associated with other symptoms such as

• ankle instability
• loss of balance
• tenderness upon touching.
• swelling
• bruising
• limited range of motion
• popping or cracking sound.
• burning pain
• inability to bear weight on your affected ankle
• stiffness
• weakness

How can I prevent ankle pain?

Ankle pain may not always be preventable. But maintaining good health can help you maintain bone and ligament strength. Injury-induced ankle pain can be prevented by following these steps:

• Ensure a healthy weight: Being overweight puts a lot of pressure on your joints, including your ankles.
• Your ankles will be supported and your risk of injury will be reduced if you keep other muscles strong.
• Don’t ignore pain: Stop if you feel it. Take a break from an uncomfortable movement or activity. If the pain does not improve, contact your provider. It is possible to make injuries worse if you exercise when you are in pain.
• Stretch before exercising to warm up properly. Warm muscles and soft tissues (such as tendons and ligaments) are less likely to be damaged.

What is a Sprained ankle?

Sprained or rolled ankles are among the most common injuries to the ankle. Ankle sprains cause ligaments (the connective tissues between bones) to tear or become stretched. They can range in severity from mild to severe. If you lose your balance when walking, you may experience ankle pain. Sprains can cause a popping noise and eventually cause swelling and stiffness.

It’s important to seek medical advice after spraining your ankle, as your re-injury risk can increase by 40-70% if left untreated. Bruising or pain occurs with mild ankle sprains, but severe ankle sprains result in intense swelling and painful bruising, often taking some time to heal.

Treatment

Treatments you can do at home for ankle injuries like elevating your foot and rest contribute to their recovery. Ankle pain usually doesn’t require surgery. If the swelling is severe, the pain does not subside within a few days, or if the pain does not go away after a few days, you may need surgery. Torn ligaments or tendons can be repaired through a variety of ankle surgery procedures. In some cases, this relieves arthritis pain or corrects flat feet. Relieving pain and restoring functionality is possible with ankle replacement surgery. You can recover from an injury using several non-invasive treatments.

• RICE method: Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation
• OTC medication
• Physical therapy
• Epsom salt
• PRP therapy

Home remedies for ankle pain

The RICE method is recommended for treating ankle pain at home immediately. The following are included:

• Rest. Your ankle should not be put under any weight. During the first couple of days, try not to move around too much. If you need to move or walk, use a cane or crutches.
• Ice. Icing your ankle for 20 minutes at a time for at least 90 minutes at a time is the best approach. During the first three days following an injury, repeat this 3-5 times a day. Pain and swelling are reduced by this process.
• Compression. Put an ACE bandage on your injured ankle, or wrap it in elastic tape. Your ankle should not become numb or your toes should not turn blue if you wrap it too tightly.
• Elevation. You should always elevate your ankle above the level of your heart by using pillows or another support structure.

For pain and swelling relief, you can take over-the-counter (OTC) drugs like acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Gently rotating your ankle in circles after your pain subsides will help relax it. Whenever it becomes painful, stop rotating, and rotate in both directions.

It may also help to flex the ankle gently with your hands. You will recover from your injury faster by doing these exercises. They will help decrease swelling, and will help reduce pain.

You will not be able to completely heal your ankle injury if it is caused by arthritis. However, there are steps you can take to avoid it. You may find it helpful to:

• Apply a topical pain reliever
• To reduce swelling, inflammation, and pain, you should take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
• Keeping physically active and following a moderate exercise program is key
• Maintain a healthy diet
• Keep your joints flexible by stretching; Your body weight should be within a healthy range to minimize joint stress

Final words

Injuries like sprains or arthritis and gout, or conditions like nerve damage, cause ankle pain. In most cases, discomfort is experienced after 1 to 2 weeks of swelling and bruising. In the days after you first hurt your ankle, rest, elevate it, and apply ice to it three to five times a day. There is also the possibility of obtaining relief from over-the-counter medications. After you’ve tried these, if the pain remains, see your doctor to determine whether you need special shoes or ankle braces.