Both young and elderly people come to see an orthopedist with complaints that their ankle hurts. Of course, the reasons for the appearance of unpleasant sensations are different, but most of the symptoms are similar.
The ankle is the narrowest place on the leg in the area where the lower leg meets the ankle joint. The heads of the tibia and fibula are located here; numerous tendons of the flexor and extensor muscles of the foot are attached to them. Large blood vessels, the tibial and peroneal branches of the sciatic nerve pass here.
Ankle pain can be caused by pathologies of the musculoskeletal system, autonomic nervous system, blood vessels, soft tissues, etc. The main factors in the manifestation of an unpleasant reaction can be inflammation, infection, trauma, the development of a neoplasm, deformation of bone and tendon tissue, etc. We will talk in detail about all the probable causes of pain in the ankle area in the material we bring to your attention. Here you can find out which doctor you should contact in a particular situation, what additional symptoms to look out for when assessing your condition. It tells you how to provide yourself with first aid measures in case of injury to this area of the lower limb.
If you are in Moscow and are worried about pain in the ankle area, you can make an appointment for a free appointment with an orthopedist at our manual therapy clinic. Experienced doctors work here. They will be able to make an accurate diagnosis and give directions for additional examinations. You will be offered an individual course of treatment without surgery or the use of pharmacological drugs. You can sign up using the special form located at the bottom of this page. You can also call the clinic administrator at the specified phone number.
Legs hurt and ankles are swollen
Very often, patients have pain in their legs and swollen ankles on both limbs at once. This symptom may indicate the development of a systemic inflammatory process or symmetrical destruction of the ankle joints. Most often, patients complain that the leg hurts and the ankle is swollen on only one limb.
It is worth understanding the basic principle of primary differential diagnosis. If the process affects the joints on both legs symmetrically, then first of all the possibility of developing rheumatoid processes should be excluded. This may be the articular form of ankylosing spondylitis, rheumatoid polyarthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, psoriatic arthritis, gout, etc. In case of unilateral damage to the ankle joint, the possibility of aseptic inflammation, diastasis of the lower leg and damage to the tendon or ligament apparatus should be excluded.
Any inflammation produces pronounced swelling due to stagnation of lymphatic fluid and increased processes of capillary blood supply to the pathologically altered tissue area. But pain and swelling can also have a traumatic etiology. If there is a partial rupture of soft tissues (muscles, ligaments and tendons), then slight capillary bleeding will occur at the lesion site. The accumulated blood itself creates the preconditions for an increase in volume and provokes the subsequent process of inflammation in order to eliminate the accumulated formed blood particles that undergo decay.
An experienced orthopedist will be able to conduct a thorough differential diagnosis of such conditions. But, if there was a traumatic impact (bruise, twisted leg, fall from a height, unsuccessful landing from a jump, etc.), then you must first contact a traumatologist. This doctor will be able to exclude the possibility of a fracture, bone crack, sprain and rupture of ligaments and tendons, and dislocation. To do this, he will order an x-ray and conduct a series of diagnostic functional tests. After an injury, a full course of rehabilitation should be carried out using manual therapy methods. If this is not done, then cicatricial deformations of the ligaments and tendons will lead to the fact that with the next traumatic injury the volume of damage will be much greater, up to a complete rupture of the ligamentous and tendon apparatus of the ankle joint.
Next, we will consider the main causes of pain and swelling in the ankle.
Treatment of ankle pain
The treatment tactics for ankle pain directly depend on the cause that caused it. If it is pronounced, CELT specialists first of all direct their efforts to reducing pain symptoms. Injuries, in particular ruptured ankle ligaments, require the application of a plaster cast and rehabilitation procedures.
With arthrosis, the doctor’s task is to relieve pain, improve motor functions and eliminate the possibility of the development of inflammatory processes in cartilage tissue. To do this, the patient is prescribed painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs, as well as medications that improve blood circulation. It is possible to use gels and ointments that reduce joint pain.
If the cause of pain is arthritis, then undergoing physiotherapeutic procedures and using drugs that stop inflammatory processes will be justified.
At the CELT Pain Clinic, they will develop an individual treatment program for you, including massage, reflexology, systematic therapy, which will restore your health and restore the joy of life!
Make an appointment through the application or by calling +7 +7 We work every day:
- Monday—Friday: 8.00—20.00
- Saturday: 8.00–18.00
- Sunday is a day off
The nearest metro and MCC stations to the clinic:
- Highway of Enthusiasts or Perovo
- Partisan
- Enthusiast Highway
Driving directions
Reasons why legs hurt in the ankle area
The reasons why your feet and ankles hurt can vary. Depending on the patient’s age, certain risk factors may come to the fore. At a young age, these are most often injuries and their negative consequences:
- sprains of ligaments and tendons;
- rupture of the ligamentous and tendon apparatus;
- cicatricial deformation of ligamentous and tendon tissue with loss of its physiological properties;
- calcification of soft tissues around the ankle joint;
- diastasis of the tibia and fibula after rupture of ligament and tendon tissue;
- fractures and cracks of the tibia, fibula, calcaneus or talus;
- dislocations and subluxations, after which deformation of the joint capsule begins and joint mobility is limited;
- contractures and ankylosis.
At a more mature age, pathologies associated with excess body weight, metabolic disorders, smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages come to the fore. All this significantly impairs the blood supply to the tissues in the ankle area and various degenerative dystrophic diseases develop.
Why does the leg hurt in the ankle area most often between the ages of 30 and 45?
- The cartilage tissue in the ankle joint is affected and the first stage of deforming osteoarthritis develops;
- the articular form of ankylosing spondylitis begins;
- uric acid crystals are deposited around the joint and irritate the surrounding soft tissue;
- incorrect foot placement develops in the form of flat feet or clubfoot against the background of constant neglect of the rules for choosing shoes for constant wear and sports;
- Vascular problems arise (obliterating endarteritis, atherosclerosis, diabetic angiopathy, varicose veins of the lower extremities, etc.).
At an older age, osteoporosis, osteomalacia, and deforming osteoarthritis, including those affecting the knee joint, are common causes of pain in the ankles. It is important to promptly exclude malignant neoplasms affecting bone tissue. At an early stage, they respond well to treatment.
At any age, pain in the ankle area can be caused by various pathologies of the autonomic nervous system. The most common disease of this type is osteochondrosis of the lumbosacral spine. Pain can also be caused by its frequent complications, such as intervertebral hernia, protrusion, disc extrusion and herniated sequestration.
Other reasons for pain in the ankles of the feet are excess body weight, valgus deformity of the joint of the first toe, sciatic tunnel syndrome, injuries, etc.
Acute pain after an ankle fracture
A bone fracture is a serious injury that requires a long period of rehabilitation. Fractures of the condyles of the tibia and fibula require immobilization of the limb for a period of 3 to 6 weeks. Depending on the complexity of the fracture and the development of its complications. While the lower limb is immobilized, a change in the trophism of soft tissues occurs. Primary dystrophic changes in muscles, tendons and ligaments may occur. They lose their physiological properties and become susceptible to traumatic injuries. It is not uncommon for ankylosis or joint contracture to develop, which reduces the range of mobility.
Pain after an ankle fracture can be caused by the following pathological changes:
- divergence of the distal condyles of the tibia and fibula with stretching or rupture of the tibiofibular syndesmosis;
- gross proliferation of bone tissue with the formation of osteophytes (these growths from deposits of calcium salts injure the surrounding soft tissues and provoke inflammation);
- deformation of the ligamentous and tendon apparatus leads to the fact that subsequently, when performing various movements of the foot, pain and a feeling of tension are observed, crunching, creaking and other extraneous sounds may occur;
- the cartilage tissue inside the ankle joint is destroyed, which can provoke the appearance of primary signs of osteoarthritis, accompanied by a secondary form of arthritis;
- vascular disorders, for example, inflammation of the inner wall of the arterioles, resulting in swelling and pain in the ankle area.
Acute pain in the ankle when trying to make the usual movements of the foot after removing the cast indicates that a contracture has begun to form. This is a limitation of mobility. It will be possible to correct the situation only with long-term, complete rehabilitation. We develop rehabilitation courses after an ankle fracture individually for each patient. After they are carried out, no consequences of injury remain.
My ankles hurt a lot when I walk
Most often, the ankles of the feet hurt greatly during movements. This is walking, running, jumping. At rest, no unpleasant sensations may appear. Why the ankle hurts when walking can only be said by an experienced doctor, who will rule out the possibility of scarring of the tendon and ligamentous apparatus, and the appearance of signs of the growth of bone growths on the heel and talus bones.
The most likely cause of pain in the ankle when walking is diastasis (divergence) of the heads of the tibia and fibula. This disease occurs due to traumatic damage to ligament and tendon tissue. The discrepancy of the bones leads to deformation of the ankle joint. Gradually, secondary contracture may develop due to the formation of excess scar tissue. In this condition, a person has difficulty moving his foot in different directions. Urgent assistance from an orthopedist is required.
The appearance of pain in the ankle when walking may be a symptom of the development of vascular pathology. This is the so-called intermittent claudication. With it, the patient is forced to periodically stop while walking due to acute pain. After a short rest, the pain goes away, but reappears as you continue to move.
My leg hurts in the ankle area: what to do?
If your ankle hurts, the first thing to do is consult a doctor. If on the eve of the onset of unpleasant symptoms there was a traumatic impact (fell, sprained an ankle, stumbled, jumped with an unsuccessful landing), then you should immediately contact a traumatologist. This doctor will use an x-ray to eliminate the possibility of fractures and cracks and prescribe effective treatment. If necessary, a plaster cast will be applied to temporarily immobilize the lower limb.
If your leg hurts in the ankle area, but there was no injury, you should limit your mobility and consult an orthopedist as soon as possible. This doctor will conduct a thorough differential diagnosis. If necessary, he may recommend consultation with other specialized specialists (angiosurgeon, phlebologist, neurologist, etc.).
Do not attempt to diagnose and treat yourself. This article is not a comprehensive source of knowledge on this issue. Information provided here is for general information purposes only. You cannot carry out treatment on your own based on the information obtained here. This can lead to disastrous consequences. Carry out treatment only under the supervision of an experienced physician.
Painful ankles: how to treat them
If your legs hurt at the ankles, treatment can begin only after an accurate diagnosis has been made. Pain itself is not a disease. This is a symptom of the disease. Therefore, if your ankles hurt, consult a doctor before treating them. He will prescribe x-rays, ultrasound, MRI, CT and other types of examinations. This will help in making an accurate diagnosis.
If you have pain in your foot in the ankle area, you can visit an orthopedist at our manual therapy clinic completely free of charge. During the initial consultation, the doctor will conduct an examination, collect medical history and make a preliminary diagnosis. You will receive individual recommendations for further examination and treatment.
In our manual therapy clinic, treatment of pathologies in which the leg hurts in the ankle area is carried out using physiotherapy, osteopathy, massage, kinesiotherapy, and therapeutic exercises. If necessary, reflexology, laser exposure and other methods of restoring the integrity of damaged tissues are used. We do not use pharmaceutical drugs or surgery. The course of treatment for each patient is developed individually.
How to avoid swelling of the ankles
It is not difficult to prevent the development of chronic venous insufficiency; it is important to follow the following rules:
- Avoid prolonged static loads.
- Wearing high-heeled shoes should not be permanent.
- In case of serious loads on the legs, prolonged static conditions, or air travel, it is necessary to use compression hosiery.
- Timely treatment of varicose veins
Also, a timely visit to a phlebologist will help prevent a condition in which the ankles swell. Varicose veins of the lower extremities may not cause serious complications for a long time, and one of the first signs of the disease may be a situation where the ankles (ankles) swell.