Pain in the ankle

introduction

Pain between the transition from the lower leg to the foot is pain in the ankle. This is often described as ankle pain. Furthermore, a distinction is made between an upper and lower ankle joint. Therefore, it has to be differentiated which part of the ankle the pain occurs. At the ankle itself, the pain can come from the bone itself or from the surrounding ligaments and tendons. Pain is generally divided into acute and chronic pain, including in the ankle. Acute pain occurs suddenly and can be triggered by brief overload. As a rule, the acute symptoms go away after a certain period of rest. In contrast, chronic pain occurs over a longer period of time. They are defined as pain that has lasted more than six months. Chronic ankle complaints are rare, as pain usually occurs as a result of trauma or injury.

causes

Ankle pain, both upper and lower, can have a wide variety of causes and are varied. The most common reasons for pain are Injuries or Overload. Sports that require quick and abrupt movements, such as volleyball, basketball, soccer, hockey, handball and tennis, put a lot of strain on the ankle. Running and jumping movements can quickly lead to fractures or injuries to the Soft tissues come. Painful overstretching of the ligaments is particularly common. These injuries can also occur in everyday life by simply twisting an ankle. It can lead to a torn ligament or to Ligament strain come. Furthermore can also old injuries lead to pain again. Ligament injuries that are not properly treated or old fractures in the ankle can also cause discomfort.

Congenital or acquired Misalignmentscaused, for example, by frequently wearing high heels can also cause discomfort in the ankle. Misalignments in the joint lead to an incorrect load on the structures involved in the joint. This in turn leads to faster wear of the Articular surfaces or injuries, which in turn cause pain. Other possible causes could be underlying osteoarthritis or arthritis in the joint. Osteoarthritis describes one Joint wear through wear and tear. Arthritis is one chronic inflammatory Disease in the joints. It occurs in spurts and can affect different or multiple joints in the body. In the joints themselves, the protective cartilage surface is largely worn away, so that the bones rub against each other. This can result from an injury. The joint wear continues. Patients often have Pain, not only under load, but also in Rest periods.

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My name is dr. Nicolas Gumpert. I am a specialist in orthopedics and the founder of .
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Athletes (joggers, soccer players, etc.) are particularly often affected by diseases of the foot. In some cases, the cause of the foot discomfort cannot be identified at first.
Therefore, the treatment of the foot (e.g. Achilles tendonitis, heel spurs, etc.) requires a lot of experience.
I focus on a wide variety of foot diseases.
The aim of every treatment is treatment without surgery with a complete recovery of performance.

Which therapy achieves the best results in the long term can only be determined after looking at all of the information (Examination, X-ray, ultrasound, MRI, etc.) be assessed.

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Symptoms

First, between acute occurring or chronic Differentiated pain. Both variants can have many different causes and therefore also express themselves in different ways. Injuries on Tendon transition and on the outer bands and Inner bands often express themselves in selectively stabbing or pulling pain. The symptoms get significantly worse when you exercise. It is often not possible for the patient to put weight on the affected foot. In addition to the pain of an ankle injury, there are other symptoms such as severe swelling and Bruising on. Both symptoms can aggravate the pain as the structures add another pressure get abandoned. In addition, the ankle is very sensitive to pressure and its movement is significantly restricted. Patients often take one to protect against pain Relieving posture a.

Pain inside

There can be various causes for pain on the inside of the ankle. One possibility is the classic torn ligament of the inner ligament, which can be caused by twisting, a bump or jumping movements in sports. A torn ligament manifests itself with pain, increasing swelling and, after a while, a bruise may also appear. The pain can be continuous or sharp and throbbing. The symptoms usually worsen with renewed exercise, which is why the patients adopt a relieving position and avoid treading on the affected foot. Depending on the severity of the ligament injury, conservative therapy with prolonged protection of the foot is possible or surgical treatment is necessary, in which the ruptured ligament has to be sewn back together.

Read more about this under Pain in the inner ankle

Another ligament injury can occur on the inner Syndesmosis exist. The syndesmoses are certain connections between the lower leg bones, the tibia and fibula. These ligaments are actually very stable, but can be injured in the event of severe trauma and tear off, especially in the case of bone fractures. Furthermore, a fracture or bone splintering on the inside of the ankle can lead to pain. Fractures can arise as a result of sports injuries or accidents. Since the ankle joint is often exposed to very high loads, fractures usually occur near the joint or in the joint itself operational so that there is no permanent instability in the healing phase.

Pain above

If the pain in the ankle is more on the front side, it may be a wear act on the articular surfaces where the pain radiates forward. But an injury while playing football can also injure the anterior ligaments. It can be a painful bruise, overstretching or even a torn ligament. Furthermore, a front Impingement Syndrome (Entrapment). This is a blockage of the foot in its upward movement (Dorsiflexion). This movement is blocked by an upward growing talus. Bone spurs can arise from trauma and cause the discomfort. After all, the pain manifests itself especially during exertion such as walking, running and jumping.

Pain at night

Ankle pain is usually not permanent. Since the pain is mostly related to an accident trauma they are usually only temporary and go away after a while. Pain that in peace or at night Occurring while sleeping can be an indication of a chronic Be illness. An incipient wear of the joints, also occurring in the ankle, is called osteoarthritis. At this Wear and tear disease lose the Articular surfaces increasingly their protective Cartilage coating. As a result, at the beginning of the disease, stabbing and pulling pains occasionally arise in various joints. The further the wear progresses, the more more often and with stronger Intensity occurs the pain. After all, they can be permanent and cause problems for patients even at night and when they are resting. Pain therapy is then no longer inevitable and the patients are regularly treated by one Specialist treated.

Pain when climbing stairs

Ankle pain when climbing stairs can be for a number of reasons. In addition to an acute injury such as a torn ligament or overstretching, congenital or acquired misalignments and incorrect loads can also be the cause. The pain occurs precisely when the affected foot or even both feet are loaded. Another cause can be osteoarthritis. With increasing wear of the joint surfaces in the ankle, the bone parts rub against each other and cause severe pain. Initially, the pain occurs when walking, running and climbing stairs. If the osteoarthritis progresses further, over time the pain is no longer just stress-dependent, but occurs permanently. Anyone who experiences more pain when climbing stairs when there is no acute injury should consult a doctor if there is no improvement. They can find out the cause and, in the case of underlying osteoarthritis, initiate appropriate treatment. There is currently no cure for osteoarthritis, but pain relievers and anti-inflammatory drugs can take most of the pain away from the patient.

Read more on the topic:

• Osteoarthritis symptoms
• Pain in the lateral heel

Crack

Many sports such as handball, volleyball, basketball and the like are accompanied by fast and abrupt running and jumping movements. These movements put a lot of strain on the upper and lower ankle. Therefore, these body structures can be injured quickly. A sudden sharp pain and a loud cracking can be an indication of a broken bone (fracture) be. To diagnose a fracture, the person should have one doctor seek out. The diagnosis can then be confirmed by means of an X-ray. Cracking or crunching can also occur with common Movements such as walking or crouching occur, without that there must be a broken bone. These noises can also be caused by a loose piece of cartilage. As part of a circulatory disorder or osteoarthritis, smaller pieces of cartilage can detach from the joint and move into the gap get between the articular surfaces involved. Also an injury to the tendons of the muscle that is responsible for the flexion of the Big toe responsible is (Flexor hallucis longus muscle), can cause a clicking noise. Any cracking noises should come from a doctor be examined because they can indicate various diseases.

treatment

Since pain in the ankle can have different causes, there are also various conservative and surgical therapeutic approaches. If it is an injury with overstretching of the ligaments or a strain as a result of an ankle twist, it is often sufficient to protect the affected foot. The swelling can be reduced with cooling pads and elevating the leg. Depending on how severe the pain is, the doctor will prescribe a certain amount of stress-free time so that the injury can initially heal in peace. Pain reliever medication such as ibuprofen can be taken to relieve the pain. Ankle bandages or ankle supports or even forearm crutches may then be necessary before the injured foot can be fully loaded again. If the ligament is severely injured, such as a torn ligament, surgery may be necessary. As part of an arthroscopy, the extent of the injury can be assessed and at the same time small cracks can be treated directly. The cracks are sewn back together with the appropriate instruments. Severe torn ligaments can also be treated by replacing them with your own body material or artificial tendon material. If osteoarthritis causes the pain that occurs, the joint surfaces are milled off in the same surgical procedure. The porous cartilage material is removed and replaced so that there is then a significant improvement in the symptoms. This procedure may be necessary more often in the case of osteoarthritis or the patient decides to have the joint completely replaced. An implantation of an artificial ankle joint is used in the case of severe osteoarthritis or complicated fractures, if the joint is otherwise no longer functional. This requires an accurate diagnosis and consultation in which the patient is informed about all possible risks and complications.

Read more on the topic: Osteoarthritis therapy, ankle orthosis