You may have hurt your ankle, and it has been difficult for you to walk ever since. To deal with this you’ve started favouring your other leg to help you get through your day. There are a host of causes for ankle pain, so it is advised to avoid self-diagnosis and book an appointment with a specialist. Our specialist orthopaedic surgeons understand how to diagnose your ankle pain without any delays so that you get the best treatment and also avoid further damage to your tissue or bones.

Here are four of the most common causes of ankle pain. If your pain is a result of one of these conditions or something completely different is determined by the physician, he will accordingly start a course of treatment to help you get back in the game.

Ankle sprain

Adults and children with ankle sprains are something we attend to a lot at 1 Health Medical Centre. A sprain refers to damage in the ligaments, these are tough, rope-like bands of tissues connecting to your ankle bones. These hardworking ligaments are easy to sprain. Consider you’re running or taking a walk outside, you may be admiring the scenery; you don’t notice the pothole in the ground and step in it. Uneven surfaces cause your leg to twist underneath you, resulting in your ankle turning at an awkward angle. Playing sports that involve running or jumping or even wearing high heels increases your risk for an ankle sprain

Ankle sprains can be categorised into mild (implying a stretched ligament), moderate (partial tear) or severe (complete tear). These mild and moderate sprains generally don’t require surgery. But for all types of tears, it is recommended to follow the RICE method (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) until you can see one of our orthopaedic experts at 1 Health Medical Centre.

Ankle strain

An ankle strain is very similar to an ankle sprain, with the only difference being that this time, you’ve torn or stretched a muscle or tendon around your ankle area. Your tendon or muscle is inflamed and you have swelling and pain in the area, affecting your normal walking pattern, similar to an ankle sprain.

Ankle arthritis

An ankle joint is formed by three bones. Every bone comprises cartilage, which are soft tissues that cushion the space between the bones to help them work together smoothly when you move. As you get older, your cartilage ages as well. They become worn and thin at the edges showing the effects of strain, causing pain when the bones start rubbing against each other in turn resulting in ankle osteoarthritis. Pain in the foot or ankle can be an indication that you may have a chronic autoimmune disease called Rheumatoid Arthritis. This type of arthritis usually targets parallel joints; if you believe you haven’t injured yourself but still feel pain in both your ankles, it is important for you to investigate as you may be suffering from Rheumatoid Arthritis.

If you have experienced any agonizing injury to your ankle in the past like a fracture or a dislocation, you become seven times more likely to develop post-traumatic arthritis when compared to someone without that type of injury.

Achilles tendonitis

Overuse of your calf muscles results in injury referred to as Achilles tendonitis. If you play sports like racquetball or tennis or are a regular runner, Achilles tendonitis may be the reason you are experiencing ankle pain. The Achilles tendon starts from your calf muscles and runs down to your heel bone, this injury results in severe pain in your ankle. To avoid damaging this further and building the necessity for surgery because of the resulting tendon tear, it is advised to rest the ankle right away.

These are some of the most common reasons for Ankle Pain, there are many others besides these four. If you are feeling pain in your ankle it is always a better option to consult an orthopaedic at the beginning itself to avoid any severe injuries that may require surgery. Although this may seem painful and scary, we assure you that you’ll feel safer in the hands of 1 Health Medical Centre’s team of experts who have years of orthopaedic expertise under their belt.

Call 1 Health Medical Centre immediately at (9562090606) if you have pain in the ankle or have any other musculoskeletal needs that need expert care.