‘ Why my ankle hurts’ is a common question that people often ask when they notice any discomfort or pain in their ankle.
Any kind of sports injury, wear and tear of your everyday life or medical condition can cause ankle pain. This pain can affect mobility and pose problems in your daily life.
Treatment options of this condition mainly depend upon the cause of your pain. Moreover, a doctor possibly asks for the symptoms and the inciting factors before starting your treatment.
About Ankle Pain
Your ankle is basically made of bones, tendons and ligament. Though affected by an injury or a condition, severe pain can occur. This pain is called ankle pain.
Pain of any kind can’t be ignored and ankle pain is no exception. It refers to any type of discomfort or pain that affects any part of your ankle. This pain can happen because of any reason. It can be due to an injury or a normal wear and tear. Moreover, depending on the cause of this pain, you will feel stiffness or pain around your ankle.
Possible Causes of Ankle Pain
Pain in your ankle can be the result of a condition or an injury. Hence, it is advisable to always look for the causes of your ankle pain before going for its treatment.
● Bursitis: Bursae [ fluid sac] cushions the bones when you move. It occurs when the sac becomes inflamed or irritated.
● Fractures: Fractures can happen because of an accident or injury. These fractures can vary from mild to severe.
● Sprains: This is also a common cause of the pain in your ankle. When a ligament tears or stretches, ankle sprain can happen. The ankle when rolled forcefully can cause severe pain.
● Tendonitis: inflamed tendons are known as the soft-tissues injury. When a tendon tears, you may need its surgical repair.
● Arthritis: Ankle pain can also occur because of this medical condition. Pain in the ankle joint can be due to arthritis. This pain happens when your cartilage breaks down.
● Flatfoot: Low arch or no arch can also cause ankle and foot pain.
● Gout: This type of arthritis can lead to gout which is the result of buildup of the uric acid that can leave urine in your body.
● Infection: Various types of infections like Cellulitis may cause swelling or pain in your ankle joint.
Symptoms of Ankle Pain
Ankle pain can be mild or severe depending upon the cause of this pain. Sometimes this pain can be so intense that it becomes difficult for you to walk. As our feet are structurally quite complex, symptoms of ankle pain can be felt in other parts of the area too. For instance; you can also feel some sort of pain in your foot arch, toes, heels or ankle joints.
Some of the symptoms of ankle pain that you may feel includes:
● Swelling
● Bruising
● Redness
● Stiffness
● Inability of bearing your weight
● Redness
● numbness
Best Treatment for Ankle Pain
Ankle pain is a pain that can basically vary from person to person. Though, this pain may put your whole life at stake if it is not taken care of or treated on time.
To treat this condition, your doctor first examines your medical history, talks about your symptoms and causes and prepares the treatment plan accordingly. Though, the treatment for this condition is mainly based on how severe your pain is.
The first thing would be to examine the pain and take some preventive measures. The RICE method is particularly used to get relief from this pain.
This method mainly consists of:
● Rest: This would be the most preferable thing to do. Rest is recommended to people with severe ankle pain. Moreover, you should also avoid lifting weight. Also, it is advisable to limit your physical activity.
● Ice: If you feel swelling or if it aggravates, you need to apply ice or rub it for about twenty minutes, after every two to three hours.
● Compression: Around your painful or damaged ankle, you can wrap several compression bandages to get better pain relief
● Elevate: Keep your compression elevated in order to reduce the pain
Risks
It's important to take into consideration the risk factors of this method. It is advisable for people to not apply compression dieectly on their skin as it can damage your nerves or overall skin. People with neuropathy can also consult a doctor before using this method.
Over the Counter Medications
Over the counter medications are another way to get relief from your ankle pain if the pain is severe. Ibuprofen or Acetaminophen helps in relieving pain and swelling. Though, these medications should be taken only after talking to your doctor as there can be several side effects.
Moreover, some people have arthritis or other medical conditions. In that case, the medicines or pain relievers can be different. However, their only purpose would be to give you relief from your pain.
Also, there are several tropical pain relievers in case other medications don't work.
Other Treatment Options by Healthcare Providers
Many ankle injuries or pain can usually get normal with the help of at the home treatment options. Though, if no home option is working or if the pain gets too severe, your doctor will take help of complex treatment options.
Injections
Steroid injections are an alternative that are especially there for people with severe ankle pain. These injections are basically given to reduce pain, inflammation or in certain cases to enhance mobility.
There are several injections that use cells from your body to regenerate your torn and injured ligaments. If they work, they can also reduce the chances of needing surgery.
Physical Therapy
There are several physical therapists who specifically deals with several type of ankle surgeries. These therapies are mainly helpful in improving your mobility, increasing your ankle strength or making your ankle more stable.
A personalized therapy plan would be created for you based on your needs and condition. These plans can include strengthening exercises, balance training or water exercises.
When do you need surgery?
Generally, most ankle and foot pain may not need any type of surgical procedure. Though, if the pain is too severe and the condition needs serious monitoring, surgery would be the resort.
The decision of weather you need a surgery for ankle or feet depends on several factors including;
● How bad the symptoms are
● Prime cause of your pain
● Need of the treatment
● Response you are giving to the treatment
Reasons to do Ankle Surgery
Ankle surgery can be done because of so many factors. It may be needed to treat an injury or a fracture. It may also be done to treat conditions like tendonitis or arthritis.
Several ankle issues that may need immediate attention or a surgery includes:
● Arthritis that can cause severe pain or immobility
● Fractured ankle
● Ankle instability from several different sprains
● Ankle deformity
● Chronic tendonitis
Various Types of Ankle Surgery
The kind of ankle surgery you need basically depends upon the condition of your ankle and severity of the ankle pain. Though, you can use different surgical options to treat your ankle and reduce your overall pain.
Ankle Arthroscopy
This is a type of surgery where a tiny tube known as an arthroscope will be inserted in the ankle with the help of small incisions. This will help your surgeon to see the joint, clean away scar tissues or chipped bones or reconstruct your ankle tissues that are torn or stretched.
Ligament Reconstruction
This is another type of ankle repair surgery which is usually done on your severely torn ankles. Ligaments in this case are repaired or reconstructed while taking tendons from somewhere else in your body.
Ankle Fusion
This is a surgery which is usually recommended in the case of severe ankle arthritis. Moreover, the surgery is basically done when ankle replacement surgery can't be performed on you. Two bones below your ankle are infused together in this surgery. This procedure helps in restoring ankle functions and reducing pain.
Ankle Replacement Surgery
Ankle replacement surgery is also known by the name of ankle arthroplasty. In case of severe ankle arthritis, this treatment option would be considered the most ideal one. A plastic ankle implant is used to replace the diseased or damaged ankle joint.
Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation of the ankle is ideal to cure it and to get back to your mobility. These stages includes; balancing, stretching or strengthening. For healing and moving your ankle, following exercises would be preferable:
● Scrunches: You need to place a soft item like a dish cloth or a towel in front of you and sit upright on a hard chair. Grab your towel or cloth with the toes, scrunch it and count till five. This will help in relieving your pain.
● Resistance Band Stretch: Take a towel or a stretch band and sit on the floor with your sore ankle in front of you. Wrap this band around your foot and stretch your toes. Do this exercise five times till you feel a stretch.
● One Leg Balance: Do this exercise in front of a flat surface. Though, if you feel like you are losing your balance, you can take help of another supportive surface. Doing this exercise for ten to fifteen minutes helps a lot in giving relief from ankle pain and its symptoms.
Other Ways to Cure Ankle Pain
You can manage your ankle pain easily if you take any of the following preventive measures.
● Well-fitted shoes: Choosing well-fitted shoes is ideal to get relief from ankle and foot pain. Squeezing your feet in fitted shoes may seem like a good option. Though, it may harm your feet in the long run. The right fit for you are the ones that can easily accommodate your toes without causing them much pain. For that, you can go for shoes that have big toe boxes. Moreover, cushioning is another factor that should be considered while choosing your shoes as it can give a lot of relief to your ankle pain.
● Orthotics: Orthotics also known as insole helps in the correction of biochemical misalignment in the feet. This type of misalignment can affect the way you walk or run. It can be a better remedy for your overall foot pain. Moreover, this also helps in improving your overall mobility and helps you move in a right way.
● Maintaining healthy weight: Too much weight can also put pressure on your ankles and feet. Hence, it is essential for you to maintain your overall weight.
Conclusion
Ankle pain can vary from person to person. Though, this pain can't be ignored or taken lightly. You need to give utmost attention to this pain before it can hinder your day to day activities.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main difference between an ankle strain or ankle sprain?
A sprain is defined as a ligament injury whereas a strain is defined as an injury to the muscle or a tendon. Though, both can cause serious ankle pain.
What is the recovery time for an ankle injury?
An ankle injury or a strain usually takes between two to six weeks for proper recovery. However, the recovery period majorly depends on the type of injury and your treatment plan.
Where is the ankle joint located?
Ankle joint is located at the lower end of a leg. It is placed where the lower leg meets the foot.
What is the cause of ankle swelling?
There is an abnormal buildup of fluid which is generally known as edema. It is mainly seen in your ankles or feet. Swelling or ankle pain can be visible in these areas.
What is known as frozen ankle?
Frozen ankle is usually known as a syndrome that is the result of repeated strains or any kind of immobilization after trauma.
Is walking good for ankle pain?
Walking is generally good for ankle pain especially to improve your mobility or strengthen your joints.
When is ankle pain considered serious?
Ankle pain is considered serious in the case of acute traumatic injury that can cause bleeding, deformity or gets exposed to your tissues or bones.