Ankle pain

The ankle protrudes on the sides of the leg just above the foot and is a bony bump. It plays a significant role in the process of human walking.

When walking, the human weight shifts to the foot, and the ankle takes all the pressure. Therefore, this part of the leg is most injured and a person feels pain in the ankle.

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Causes ankle pain

Ankle pain may occur in the following cases:

1. Sometimes the foot can turn outward, and then the ligaments that support it are subject to excessive stress, which can lead to ligament sprains. Muscle ruptures and bone fractures are also common. Any of these injuries cause severe pain in the ankle. The injured part of the leg also swells, making it impossible to move, and the surrounding tissues change their normal color.
2. Ankle pain is not always caused by sudden twisting movements. Tendinitis can also be the cause of this pain. Tendinitis is when the tendon tissue that connects the bones of the foot to the muscles of the lower leg becomes inflamed. This condition can be triggered by long walks, standing for long periods of time, the strain of going down too fast or climbing too hard. The tendon that runs up the back of the ankle, starting from the heel, is especially vulnerable. This is the Achilles tendon. It is quite often subject to stretching and rupture.
3. The ankle bursa can become damaged by bursitis (an inflammation caused by overuse) and then ankle pain is inevitable.
4. Active sports activities (basketball, football, aerobics) are often accompanied by such injuries as a crack or fracture of the ankle. Ankle pain can bother for a long time, since such injuries are not so easy to detect. For example, about 6 weeks must pass from the moment of injury so that after the patient undergoes an X-ray, the doctor can confirm that he has a fracture of the ankle.
5. Those who neglect to carefully select their shoes are often forced to endure ankle pain. The human foot is quite sensitive to walking on a hard surface and turning the foot, and if the shoes are not selected correctly and do not fix the foot well, there is a high probability of injury. You should buy durable shoes, in size, with an arch support, shock-absorbing insoles and designed for a specific case, this is especially important for sports shoes. And it is important to remember that shoes provide good support for the foot for only eight months, so wearing them for several seasons is not recommended.
6. Some diseases have ankle pain in their symptoms. In gout, it is twitching and is a companion to swelling of the joints when uric acid is deposited in them.
7. Pain in the ankle area is also aggravated in patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, nerve damage, circulatory disorders, as well as in people with bone spurs or who have suffered an injury in which small pieces of interarticular cartilage or bone tissue are torn off.

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Treatment ankle pain

If you injure your ankle, you need to rest, apply ice to the injured area for a while, and then apply a pressure bandage using an elastic bandage. It is also recommended to elevate the injured limb (you can put it on a pillow, for example).

But in any case, if a person accidentally stumbles, twists his ankle, lands unsuccessfully from a jump and develops persistent pain in the ankle, in addition to the above-described set of measures, he should visit a medical center and consult a traumatologist or rheumatologist.

What to do if you have ankle pain?

When ankle pain occurs, treatment should be started immediately. If it is possible to call a doctor or go to a medical facility, then you can provide first aid to your ankle at home.

The first and most effective method is to follow the four rules: ice, rest, height and compression.

An ice pack should be applied to the sore ankle, but not for more than 20 minutes. To avoid frostbite, the ice should be placed in a towel. After that, a compression bandage should be applied from an elastic bandage. Rest is the best medicine. You need to take a horizontal position and put something under your foot so that your foot is above head level.

Another method of treatment is ginger. The root of medicinal ginger should be poured with boiling water and left to brew. Then wet a towel in the decoction and apply to the injured ankle.

If compresses do not help, you can resort to painkillers that are sold in pharmacies without a prescription. This can be ibuprofen, aspirin, acetaminophen and similar drugs. You need to take painkillers strictly according to the instructions to avoid an overdose. When taking pills, the pain should not disappear completely, to prevent re-injury.

You can place special pads or soft cushions under your heels to raise the heel by 10-15 cm.

Don't forget about rest - this is the main component of any treatment. After pain relief, it is very important to strengthen the ligaments, muscles and tendons. To do this, you need to do the following exercises that promote good blood circulation:

• sit on the floor and stretch your legs out in front of you;
• wrap a towel around the instep and grab the edges of the towel;
• bending your foot closer to you, you should pull the towel for 10 seconds;
• Stretch your toes forward for 5 seconds. The towel should be taut. Repeat the exercise 10 times.

If everything is done correctly, prevention of subsequent injuries is guaranteed.

In addition, the doctor may advise the patient to change shoes. Often, ankle injuries occur due to wearing the wrong shoes, in which the feet feel uncomfortable, often twist.

When wearing shoes, people who suffer from frequent ankle injuries and have been diagnosed with flat feet are advised to use insoles. You can also make life easier for your feet with the help of shock-absorbing insoles and special orthopedic shoes.

In addition, shoes should be changed at least once every 6-8 months. It is during this time that shoes become unfit for wear and the foot no longer feels comfortable in them.