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To the left you will find an in-depth and comprehensive series of articles detailing specific ankle and ankle pain related issues. Below we have provided a general overview. We hope you find this information of use! - Ankle-pain.org Staff
Ankle Pain: Common Sources And Treatments
Overview
In this article, we will furnish an overview of the physiology of the ankle, and then give a listing of several of the most common sources of ankle pain. In conclusion, we will furnish some common treatments for ankle pain. It is to be stressed, before we begin, that this article is in no way intended to act as a substitute for sound professional advice, should the injury be more severe than the victim, or those responsible for his well being, feel equipped to manage.
Ankle Physiology
The ankle is the joint which forms at the junction point where the leg meets with the foot. Your ankle and foot are complex structures, which are comprised of connecting bones, tendons, muscles, and ligaments. Your ankle is the joint which connects the ends of bones in your lower leg with the bones located in your feet. Since the bulk of your body’s weight is distributed precisely to the ankle, it is therefore a major part of your body’s proper balance and mobility. Should you sustain an ankle sprain or fracture, a loss of mobility, coupled with an inability to stand or exert pressure on your ankle, will be immediately apparent.
Ankle Fractures and Sprains
The ankle pain you are currently experiencing can be due to any number of causes, but will normally fall under the heading of two major types. The lesser of these, known as ankle sprains, occur when the ligaments which are located in the ankle are overly stretched, sometimes due to a rolling or sliding type of injury. An ankle sprain is, by far, the less serious of these two types of ankle injury, and rarely requires more than immediate personal attention, such as the quick application of an ice pack, and several days of rest.
However, there is also a far more severe and potentially long lasting type of ankle injury which, if not properly treated, can lead to years of ankle pain, as well as the setting in of bacterial infection, or possible arthritis years after the fact. When you not only sprain, but completely break your ankle, this is known as a fracture. There are many types of ankle breakage. However, the invariable result is a bruised, swollen, ankle bone, which one cannot move, or put any pressure upon, without feeling immediate and sometimes severe pain in response. Fractures need immediate medical attention so as to ensure proper professional treatment, and to plan a program of physical rehabilitation.
Tendinitis
A frequent source of ankle pain is the medical condition known as tendonitis. This is the name which is given to the condition of injury which involves your ankle’s tendons (which are dense, thick, fibrous cords which your body’s muscles make use of in order to attach themselves fast to your bones). In tendonitis, these tendons become severely irritated and inflamed, thus causing mild to severe pain. Tendonitis is a relatively common, quite treatable condition, which, in addition to pain, can cause noticeable redness, bruising, and swelling.
As should be swiftly ascertained, there are many hundreds of tendons located all throughout one’s body. In most cases, however, it will normally be a very specific handful of these tendons which will be the culprit of the ankle pain one is currently experiencing. These damaged or malfunctioning tendons will be unable to receive a fresh supply of blood, which is required to replenish them with oxygen and nutrients. This lack of fresh, enriching blood pouring into the afflicted tendons can be the direct cause of tissue damage and necrosis. This condition, if left untreated, can culminate in a markedly prolonged, and overall quite poor, healing response on the part of your injured ankle.
However, it should quickly be noted that, by far, the majority of cases of tendonitis are less severe than one would be initially led to believe. Most cases of tendonitis can, in fact, be treated with a short period of rest, as long as one remembers to stay off of the ankle as much as is practically possible. You should also keep the injured ankle propped up on pillows, and above the level of your heart. In addition, a bit of informal physical therapy and pain medication should be enough to assuage the ankle pain of most sufferers.
Ankle Diseases
There are several known diseases which afflict the sufferer in the region of their ankle. Arthritis, bacteriological and viral infections, and tarsal tunnel are numbered among the leading varieties of such ankle pain and disease causing agents. Arthritis of the ankle is probably the most common variety of ankle disease. There are many different types of arthritic afflictions, such as gouty arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and others.
In contrast to what many among the public believe, these types of arthritic afflictions are not, in most cases, brought on by a specific injury which can be singled out as the “root cause”. In truth, arthritic conditions tend to develop quite gradually over the course of the victim sustaining several or many repeated injuries to the same region, which are then mistakenly shrugged off as minor and thus left untreated until such time as massive damage reveals itself in quite painful and traumatic fashion.
Other sources of chronic ankle pain and disease, such as bacteriological infection, are normally quite rare. Such an infection of one’s ankle usually results when bacteria is inadvertently introduced into the ankle. This occurs most commonly through the agency of a puncture wound. Some bacteria-based infections develop when the epidermis (skin) breaks apart at the ankle due to ulceration or major abrasions and “gashing” wounds which require stitching.
People who suffer from the effects of auto-immune deficiency conditions, such as HIV/AIDS, are at an increased risk for bacteria infecting the joints of their body. Individuals who suffer from diabetes, or who are required to take regular cortisone-based medications, may also find themselves at a higher level of risk for a bacteriological infection of the ankle.
Ankle Pain Treatments
First, try resting for a day or two. If you cannot remain in bed, try resting, seated, in a comfortable recliner or chair. Remain seated as much as you possibly can, and don’t try to move around too much or for too long. Don’t try to put more weight or pressure on your ankle than it can stand. Try to simply relax and let your injured ankle heal in its own time. Your level of ankle pain as a consequence of prolonged movement or pressure will be a reliable indicator of the rate it is healing at. Pain relief medication such as acetaminophen (more commonly known as the brand Tylenol) is suggested in the recommended dosage to reduce ankle pain.
In the event of a severe sprain of your ankle, make use of an ACE bandage, or purchase an ankle brace, in order to give it much needed support. You may even make use of crutches, a cane, or a walker if a standard, medical issue, ankle brace is unavailable. Some scope for improvisation is indicated here. Use one or more of these devices to keep weight and pressure off an ankle that is healing.
You must keep your injured ankle raised at level above your heart. While you sitting, or sleeping, try to keep two or three pillows beneath your injured ankle. This will keep it supported, and will enable much needed oxygen and nutrients to flow, via the blood, to the injured ankle. Taking these simple steps should greatly facilitate the healing process, and should very much reduce the amount of pain you and your ankle are in.
