Ankle pain is any kind of pain or discomfort in your ankles. Ankle pain can be caused by a medical condition like arthritis or by an injury like an ankle sprain.
Ankle sprains make up 85 percent of all ankle injuries and occur when your ligaments, or the tissues that connect your bones, either tear or get overstretched. Most ankle sprains are lateral sprains, which happen when your foot rolls and your outside ankle twists toward the ground, stretching or ripping the ligaments. Sprained ankles usually swell or bruise for about a week or two, but it might take a few months for a severe ankle injury to fully heal.
Causes of ankle pain
Ankle pain can also be caused by arthritis, gout, a nerve damage or injury like sciatica, blocked blood vessels or an infection in the joint. Gout happens when uric acid builds up in the body, depositing crystals in the joints, which causes severe pain, swelling and redness. Arthritis is the inflammation of the joints and can cause pain in the ankles.
Ankle pain treatment options
Orthopedic shoe inserts or foot or ankle braces are an excellent nonsurgical ankle pain treatment Strongsville Oh option that helps realign the joints and keep pain and discomfort away. Inserts are available in a wide range of different sizes and degrees of stiffness and help support different parts of the foot and redistribute weight to offer ankle pain relief.
Ankle braces work in a similar way. Some ankle braces can be worn with regular shoes, while others are all encompassing and resemble a cast that covers both the ankle and the foot.
Steroid injections can also be used to reduce inflammation and pain. Injections contain corticosteroid, which decreases swelling, stiffness and pain in the ankle.