Ankle Pain – SPIN

Consider everything your ankle does for you. Your ankle is a small part of your body and it has to bear your entire weight. It does this while allowing you the flexibility you need to walk, run, and move. Ankle pain is a common complaint with your doctor. The complexity of the bones, tendons, and ligaments of your ankles are liable to normal wear and tear.

Inner ankle pain, outer ankle pain, and pain that runs up the back of your leg along your Achilles tendon require targeted treatment. Inner ankle pain stems from a thin tendon that stabilizes your foot. This tendon runs along the inside of your ankle to your foot arch. Known as the posterior tibial tendon, it helps keep your foot in place and push you off the ground. You will experience pain when this tendon tears.

Middle ankle pain responds well to rest and home remedies. Ankle pain that’s severe should receive professional treatment. It’s better to be safe than sorry when it comes to pain.

What Are the Symptoms of Ankle Pain?

You feel pain and swelling in your ankle. You may notice other symptoms that require you to see your doctor:

Pain accompanied by fever
Protruding bones or an open wound
Redness and warmth around your ankle
An inability to put weight on that foot
Pain that persists for more than two weeks with no relief despite your efforts

Many sources of ankle pain may be obvious. You may have had an accident falling off your bike or twisted your ankle while running. But, a number of diseases can lead to this type of as well.

These other medical conditions include:

Gout- a form of arthritis that causes inflammation, swelling, and pain in your joints
Bursitis- an inflammation of the fluid-filled sacs (bursae) that cushion your bones
Plantar fasciitis – an inflammation of the thick band of tissue that connects your toes to your heel
Reflex sympathetic dystrophy – chronic arm or leg pain after stroke, heart attack, or surgery
Peroneal tendonitis – pain in the back of the ankle caused by tendon tear
Arthritis- painful swelling of the joints
Osteochondritis dissecans- a condition where small segments of bone begin to break off due to lack of blood supply
Tarsal tunnel syndrome- compressed nerve causing ankle pain

What Are the Causes of Ankle Pain?

Ankle pain can be caused by various conditions. A sprain is a typical cause of this type of pain. Damage to the cartilage or tendons of your ankle can also be caused by rolling the ankle.

Other common ankle pain causes include:

Gout
Arthritis, especially osteoarthritis
Nerve injury or damage (sciatica)
Infection in the joint
Blocked blood vessels

If you experience severe ankle pain along with bruising, swelling, and inability to put weight or pressure on the affected area without discomfort, you should seek medical assistance. Another general recommendation is to look for treatment if there has not been any improvement during the first few days of at-home care.

What to Do About Inner Ankle Pain in Manhattan?

Your inner ankle, called the tibialis posterior, is commonly under siege, causing ankle pain among runners in New York City. Persistent, untreated inner ankle discomfort can lead to acquired flat feet and chronic foot pain. When your ankle is under constant pressure, the tendon in your ankle can rupture, tear, or just become inflamed. A direct hit to the tendon, common among soccer players, is a common cause of inner ankle pain.

If you continue to run or play your sport with even minor ankle discomfort, you may be looking at significant downtime. You could injure your ankle bad enough that you’d lose the ability to run. If this happens, you’d need surgery if your tendon ruptures.

Your doctor diagnoses the source of your inner ankle pain. When your pain appears to come from elsewhere in your foot, your physician can track it down. He provides you with the appropriate treatment to ensure you can keep enjoying your physical activities.

How to Relieve Ankle Pain at Home?

When you first experience ankle pain you believe it may be due to a sprain or other minor injury. With a minor injury, you can try at-home treatments. Check with our doctor before starting a home remedy treatment plan. We help you make sure you’re doing the best thing. You don’t want a small injury to lead to further complications.

Home remedies that may bring ankle pain relief include:

Losing weight. Reducing the pressure on your ankles can go a long way to alleviate pain. While it’s not an immediate solution, it helps you achieve pain relief.
Icing. Alternate between ice packs and heating pads for 20-minute intervals. Ice reduces the swelling that causes ankle pain. Heat helps relax the muscles and tendons.
Resting. Take a break from your grueling workout regimen. Elevate your ankle whenever possible to reduce inflammation.
Taking OTC medication. Over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen and aspirin can take the edge off the pain. These medications reduce the swelling that may be causing your discomfort.
Wrapping. Compression bandages can relieve swelling. Bandages allow a break from the pressure and pounding you put on your ankles. Wrap your ankles for 48 to 72 hours.

What is Professional Ankle Pain Treatment?

When the pain doesn’t subside after a few weeks of home remedies, you need the expertise of a sports medicine and pain management team. We provide you with professional treatment. If your home remedy plan was recommended by your doctor, you can monitor any improvement with a professional.
But if pain and inflammation persist, you may be a candidate for:

Steroid ankle injections for pain relief
Crutches and splints while hairline fractures heal
Long-term arthritis pain medication treatments
Minimally invasive arthroscopic surgery
Setting broken bones
Surgical tendon reconstruction
Joint fusion
Partial ankle replacement surgery

Do I Need a Total Ankle Replacement?

Physical therapy that includes strengthening the supporting muscles in your legs and activity modifications follows any surgical intervention. After you’ve suffered from inner ankle pain or undergone ankle surgery, you’ll take precautions to prevent future ankle pain treatment with the advice and assistance of your team.

Febin Melepura, MD is a top rated, best in class interventional pain management doctor. He is a nationally recognized pain relief specialist and is among the top pain care doctors in New York City and the country. He is an award winning expert and contributor to a prominent media outlets.

Dr. Febin Melepura has been recognized for his thoughtful, thorough, modern approach to treating chronic pain and, among other accolades, has been named a “top pain management doctor in New York”, and one of “America’s Top Doctors™” for an advanced sports injury treatments.