Swelling of the leg in the ankle: causes and treatment

Why does swelling occur?
Types of edema
Diagnostics
Diseases
Treatment
Our doctors

Swelling of the leg in the ankle is not a separate disease, but a clinical manifestation of it. The underlying disorder, which causes fluid to accumulate within the soft tissues of the lower extremities, may progress insidiously. Swelling of the ankles occurs in people of different genders and ages. Children should make an appointment with a pediatrician, adults should visit a therapist. The type of doctor who will treat the patient in the future depends on the type of pathology identified.

Causes

When the legs swell at the ankles, the cause of the condition may be related to factors such as:

Pregnancy.
Having excess weight.
Increased permeability of blood vessels.
Chaotic use of medications (antidepressants, hormonal drugs).
Impaired drainage of lymphatic fluid from tissues.

Other factors that cause swelling of the ankles are significant physical activity, wearing uncomfortable shoes, and the presence of a purulent tumor on the lower limb. The symptom also occurs against the background of increased blood pressure.

Read also: Swollen legs: causes and treatment

Severe swelling of the legs at the ankles: reasons

Most often, swelling of the feet affects women who wear high-heeled shoes and work in professional fields where they are constantly on their feet during the working day. Swelling of the ankles can be internal and external, unilateral and bilateral. If your legs in the ankle area swell on the inside and outside, the reasons may be different. Bilateral edema appears as a result of prolonged standing (working as a waiter, hairdresser, salesperson), or prolonged sitting (working in an office). Bilateral type of edema occurs in obese people - the cause is excess weight and its negative effect on the blood vessels of the legs.

Also, bilateral swelling often appears when wearing shoes that are small, narrow or have no heels, with diseases of the urinary system, pregnancy, diseases of the lymphatic and circulatory systems, and cardiovascular diseases. Unilateral edema develops in most cases as a result of a pathological condition of organs or body systems. Swelling in the ankle area can occur as a result of injury - sprain, ligament rupture, fracture. Often, swelling of the ankle is caused by puncturing the skin with a thorn, glass, or other traumatic objects. As a result, infection enters the tissues and the development of an inflammatory process, which is accompanied by swelling.

Swelling can spread to the joints of the foot and leg, body temperature rises, chills begin, the puncture site hurts, and the skin in the area of injury turns red. Swelling of the ankles often occurs in people who like to take a cross-legged position, perform certain work, sitting on their knees bent, or on their knees.

Treatment

Depends on the type of violation detected. In 90% of cases, the pathological condition that caused swelling of the ankles is eliminated conservatively. For this use:

Medicinal influence. If a patient has swollen legs at the ankles, he is prescribed diuretics (Furosemide, Lasix) and rutin, a vitamin that strengthens the walls of the veins. If problems with heart activity are detected, Veroshpiron or its analogues are prescribed. When the root cause of swelling of the legs is inflammation of the joints, the patient is advised to administer Diclofenac, chondroprotectors (Glucosamine, Chondroitin), and hormonal agents.
Massage. Manual treatment is aimed at restoring blood supply to the lower extremities.
Nutrition correction. Salty, spicy, sour, fatty, fried foods and dishes should be excluded from the diet, and water balance should be limited. Drinking coffee and alcohol is strictly contraindicated.
Physiotherapeutic procedures. Aimed at reducing swelling, restoring mobility, reducing pain, and relieving inflammation.

It is also necessary to avoid using excessively tight, uncomfortable shoes; avoid excessive stress on the ankle joints.

Depending on the nature of the identified disorder, therapy is carried out in a hospital department or on an outpatient basis.

Dear patients! Remember that only a qualified doctor can make an accurate diagnosis, determine the causes and nature of the disease, and prescribe effective treatment. You can make an appointment with our specialists or call a doctor at home by calling 8-(4822)-33-00-33

Be healthy and happy!

Types of swelling on the legs

Edema is classified into several types, depending on the reasons that caused it: • Congestive . They often form when vascular permeability increases, with excess pressure in the capillaries, which accompanies thrombophlebitis and varicose veins. In a healthy person, venous blood flow is directed under pressure from bottom to top; venous valves are responsible for this, which prevent reverse blood flow. The contraction of the muscles in the legs during movement creates a pumping effect. If this physiological mechanism is disrupted, the valves of the veins begin to allow blood to flow in two directions (not only up, but also down under the influence of gravity). As a result, stagnation occurs in the veins, venous pressure increases, and their walls lose tone and become thinner. As a result of thinning of the vessels, fluid from them penetrates into the tissues, causing swelling. In addition, congestion thickens the blood and causes excessive blood clots. • Hydromic . They are caused by the accumulation of excess fluid as a result of kidney disease. A decrease in their filtering abilities and damage to the tubules leads to a gradual movement of fluid from the bloodstream into the tissues. • Neuropathic. This type of swelling is typical for people who suffer from diabetes or alcoholism. The pathology can be caused by several factors. • Cachexic . They appear as a sign of nutritional deficiency. These are caused by poor protein nutrition, malignant neoplasms, and chronic anemia. • Allergic . The mechanism of their action is related to the body's reaction to allergens. This swelling develops rapidly and is accompanied by itching and redness of the skin. However, with correct treatment, it also quickly disappears. • Mechanical . They arise as a result of injuries as a response to damage to soft tissue structures, bone tissue, or compression of blood vessels. Sometimes mechanical swelling in the legs appears due to tumor processes. Regardless of the cause or type of swelling, a thorough examination and competent therapy are required.

General information about the disease

Arthritis of the ankle joint is an inflammatory process that has different origins, symptoms and course. The disease can be independent (primary) or develop against the background of some existing process (secondary). Arthritis is divided into acute and chronic. ICD-10 code M00 – M99.

The ankle joint is a movable joint formed by three bone structures: the heads of the tibia and fibula of the leg and the talus of the foot. To the right and left of the talus are bony elevations - the ankles. The peculiarity of the joint is its resistance to external influences, in this it is much superior to the knee joint. It has a good blood supply and innervation and is protected by ligaments that firmly hold it in the desired position.

Arthritis of the ankle develops at any age. In children it is predominantly juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), in women it is rheumatoid lesions, in men it is reactive arthritis.

How to treat in a hospital and at home

Doctors approach the treatment of the problem differently, since the problem itself is considered one of the symptoms of the disease. An experienced specialist’s arsenal includes various methods, including drug therapy, exercise therapy, massage, and various physical procedures. In severe cases, surgery may be prescribed. Without a preliminary examination, it is difficult to definitively answer the question of what to do if the leg above the knee is swollen.

Often, if the left leg is swollen above the knee or below, or there is swelling of both limbs, doctors prescribe an accompanying diet for patients - they recommend minimizing the consumption of salt, fatty and overly spicy foods. It is important to normalize the flow of fluid in the body.

Therapy methods are selected taking into account the underlying disease strictly on an individual basis. Therefore, to the question of what to do if the leg below the knee swells, there can only be one answer - consult a specialist. Self-medication in this case is dangerous, since it only aggravates the current clinical picture. If your legs are swollen below the knees, only a good doctor can determine the causes and prescribe treatment.

Diagnosis of leg swelling

Diagnostic methods to identify the causes of leg swelling

To make the correct diagnosis and select the optimal treatment, the following studies are necessary:

Consultation with a general practitioner
,
phlebologist
, examination, medical history.
General blood analysis.
General urine analysis.
Coagulogram (hemostasiogram).
Hormonal profile.
Ultrasound of the abdominal organs and retroperitoneal space.
Ultrasound of the pelvic organs.
X-ray of the chest organs.
Ultrasound scanning of the vessels of the lower extremities.
Duplex scanning.
ECG.

Edema usually affects women and rarely occurs in men. Why is this happening?

Indeed, there are several factors that explain why women are more likely to have swollen lower legs. The first is incorrectly selected shoes. Women more often make “sacrifices for the sake of beauty”, wearing uncomfortable but fashionable shoes, or too high heels. All this disrupts the venous outflow, which ultimately leads to edema. The second important factor is regular hormonal fluctuations: many women note that swelling is associated with the phase of the cycle. And of course, edema is accompanied by pregnancy: at this time, blood circulation becomes difficult, hormonal levels change, and often expectant mothers allow themselves to deviate from proper nutrition.

General clinical recommendations

Arthritis of the foot and ankle is a progressive disease. To prevent its relapse, the patient should follow the following recommendations:

lead a healthy lifestyle, move more;
regularly perform physical therapy exercises, go swimming;
avoid heavy physical activity, hypothermia and stress;
promptly treat all acute and chronic diseases;
give up bad habits - smoking and alcohol abuse;
conduct courses of preventive treatment as prescribed by a doctor.

Prevention

To avoid the development of the disease, genetically predisposed persons, as well as persons whose work involves increased stress on the ankles, should avoid provoking factors that can become a trigger for the development of the disease. These are hypothermia, viral infections, prolonged stress and high physical activity.

Follow a diet: give up fried, fatty, spicy foods, sweets and baked goods, eat regularly. The diet should include: low-fat animal products, vegetables and fruits.

If symptoms of foot arthritis appear, you should immediately consult a doctor.

The most common cause of leg swelling is improper kidney function.

Various kidney pathologies often cause swelling of the legs. Kidney swelling is mild and gets worse if you spend a lot of time on your feet. The reason that the legs swell more in the evening is that fluid is usually not removed from the body at night.

However, the condition of the kidneys is not the only factor influencing swelling. Some diseases of the liver (for example, cirrhosis) or the cardiovascular system are also accompanied by fluid stagnation. For example, with heart failure, the leg may swell from the knee to the foot. In liver diseases, swelling of the ankles is more common.

What are swelling of the legs

The development of edema occurs due to the entry and accumulation of fluid in the extracellular tissue spaces of the body. The fluid is removed from the body through small capillaries, enters the veins and is then excreted by the kidneys. The process of fluid removal is regulated by venous pressure, the concentration of sodium and proteins in the body, and the permeability of the vascular wall. A large number of different factors influence the disruption of the process of fluid removal:

Hot time of year.
Alcohol consumption.
Consuming large amounts of fluid.
Fried, smoked and salted foods.
Great physical activity.
Prolonged standing.

The occurrence of swelling of the extremities is influenced by a decrease in blood circulation in the abdominal cavity during certain postures, pregnancy, and flat feet. You should immediately contact a phlebologist if swelling of the legs is not symmetrical, does not subside for a long time, becomes permanent, the swelling is dense, the color of the skin or blood vessels changes, or vascular nodules appear.

What is edema?

Edema is the accumulation of fluid in tissues.
Many believe that the main mechanism for the occurrence of edema is the “accumulation of salts” in tissues that attract water. However, in reality, the formation of edema in detail looks somewhat more complicated. Edema can occur due to the following disorders:

disturbances in the permeability of cell membranes. In this case, the cells seem to begin to “release” more fluid outward than normal.
protein metabolism disorders. Not only salts, but also protein molecules have the ability to attract water. That is why a violation of their metabolism (for example, with an unbalanced diet) can lead to edema.
pressure gradient changes. The hydrostatic processes occurring in the body are quite complex. Therefore, the fact that our ankles are swollen may mean that the correct difference in fluid pressure in the vessels and in the surrounding tissues has been disrupted.
blockage of small vessels, most often capillaries. This leads to the fact that the normal circulation of blood or lymph is disrupted, and we complain of swelling of the ankles.

All these mechanisms can be triggered in various diseases and conditions. Below we list the main ones.

Treatment of swelling

If swelling regularly appears in the lower extremities, accompanied by pain, increased temperature of the affected area or the whole body, redness of the skin and other alarming symptoms, you should not hesitate to consult a doctor. Qualified phlebologists at the Phlebology Department of the Yusupov Hospital provide services for the diagnosis and treatment of edema using the latest medical technologies and modern medications that are highly effective and have minimal side effects. The clinic has created all the conditions for a comfortable stay for patients in a hospital setting. Therapeutic tactics are selected strictly individually for each patient, taking into account the diagnosis and characteristics of his body.

My leg is swollen and hurts, what should I do?

As is clear from the answers to the previous questions, you need to contact a specialist. Only a doctor can accurately determine the cause that leads to swelling of the legs. If swelling occurs only sporadically, here are some tips for those who want to maintain healthy feet:

Wear comfortable shoes. High heels are beautiful, but they are not good for your health. If you want to avoid swelling, then for daily wear, choose shoes with heels no higher than 3-5 cm.
Do not disregard your doctor's recommendations if you are prescribed to wear compression stockings. It helps to establish normal blood circulation; it is very important to wear compression stockings or socks if you have a long trip or flight.
If you sit or stand for a long time during the day, change your position, do gymnastics during the day, walk. This will help improve blood circulation.
Watch your weight. Excess body weight also contributes to the formation of edema.