Ankle pain

Joints

Ankle joint or ankle pain is considered to be among the most frequent injuries, which people obtain both in everyday activities and when doing sports. Although people often do not pay enough attention to it, if not treated these injuries may cause unpleasant consequences in the future, therefore it is better to seek timely help.

Injuries – the most common causes of ankle pain

The ankle joint or ankle has a very important role in performing various movements and general stabilisation of the body. This tiny joint has an anatomically complicated construction – it consists of three bones and several ligaments on both sides of the ankle, and provides a stable posture and flexible, confident movement. As a result of different injuries, the ankle may seriously suffer.

The most common ankle injuries:

ligament strains,
ligament tears,
fractures.

Regardless of whether the ankle injury has occurred doing sports, which often happens while jumping, running, stumbling and similar, or in a domestic situation, the doctors advise not to hesitate and to seek medical help. In the case of a fracture, most probably emergency medical assistance or other help needs to be called to get to the medical institution, because pain in such situations is so severe that it is almost impossible to put the foot on the ground.

Severe pain is also felt in cases of a ligament strain (dislocation) or tear, however, as opposed to a fracture, in such cases it is at least possible to stabilise the leg. One has to be aware however, that in all such cases the pain is severe and mobility is limited. Therefore it is important to relax the foot after the injury – it is best to recline and lift the injured foot slightly higher; one should definitely remove any footwear, because, most probably there will be oedema, and already before reaching the medical institution it is recommended to use a cold compress – it will reduce both the oedema and the pain.

In the case of injury, when the patient arrives to the medical institution the doctor will perform a primary observation and prescribe a radiological examination to ascertain the diagnosis. Further healing will depend on the type of injury and its severity. Although people generally assume that ankle dislocation (ligament strain) is a minor issue, the doctors assume that a simple fracture is sometimes a less severe diagnosis than a complicated ligament strain or even a tear.

Depending on the severity of the injury, the treatment may be out-patient, when under home conditions the patient observes rest, thus alleviating the injured area and, if needed, using analgesic gels or internally administered medicine until the surgery.

One should also be aware in all of these cases that one has to observe a rehabilitation period, in order to be able to return to the previous lifestyle and life quality. This may demand a lot more time in some cases, which will include both physiotherapy and healing with physical therapy equipment and other things.

Good help is provided both after injuries and in the stage of treatment and rehabilitation, by a special ankle fixation, which helps in both reducing the oedema and fixing, stabilising and relieving pain from the ankle, as well as the use of such fixation after injury helps one to return to everyday movements in a safer way, step-by-step. Also, in the future it is recommended to use the fixation in sports practice, as well as other situations when there is a risk of another ankle injury.

Do not keep silent about pain

There are a number of problems that may cause significant pain in the ankle joints. To diagnose these health problems, it is important to tell your family doctor about them, who will prescribe all the necessary examination as well as help to find the right specialist, who will continue to solve the problem in detail.

Health problems that may cause pain in the ankles.

arthritis,
gout,
cartilage defects,
increased weight,
ankle inflammation,
osteoarthritis,
diabetic neuropathy,
poor blood circulation and others.

Also, pain in the ankles may be caused by completely traditional everyday habits, for example, high heels or boots, if they are worn too long without resting the feet. Also, pain in the ankles may be caused by footwear that does not fit the size of the foot.

Therefore, before complaining to a doctor about pain in the ankle, it is worth evaluating your everyday habits. However, in cases of this and other mentioned diseases, if there is pain in the ankles, this problem should not be hidden, but definitely discussed in cooperation with the attending physician. And also in these cases, besides medical and other treatment, one of the recommended additional aids may be an elastic ankle fixation, which fulfils various functions, alleviating the condition of the patient.

Photo by anja. on Unsplash