Ankle Pain

The ankle joint occurs where the leg and the foot meet. The bones of the ankle are held together at the ankle joint by ligaments, which are strong elastic bands. The muscles which move the bones are attached to the bones by tendons. The Achilles tendon is the largest tendon in the body and is attached to the heel bone. The Achilles tendon is what enables you to rise up on your toes.

Understanding Ankle Pain

Many people have twisted an ankle at some point in their lives. But if your ankle gets swollen and painful after you twist it, you have most likely sprained it. A sprained ankle occurs when your ligaments are overstretched. A sprained ankle can feel differently for everyone. One person might be able to put weight on his or her injured ankle, while others may not be able to walk at all. The level of pain or discomfort you have after you sprain your ankle can depend on how bad the sprain is and how badly you have hurt tissue in your ankle. Some ligament tears could require surgery to repair the damage.

Most people think that a sprain is a one-time thing when you trip on something or fall down & hurt it. Not true! You actually sprain your ankle by wearing shoes that are too high around the heel area. Other causes are when you run on uneven surfaces, falling on your ankle & sitting on your ankle. Also because of repeated ankle sprains this can cause other problems including repeated injuries. So even the slightest thing can cause you to have a sprained ankle. A sprained ankle is different from a strain, which occurs when you damage or overstretch a muscle.

Symptoms and Causes of Ankle Pain

The most common symptom of an ankle sprain is pain. Other symptoms include:

  • Swelling
  • Bruising
  • Tenderness
  • Hearing a pop or tear during the injury
  • Not able to walk or walking with pain

The many things that can result in ankle pain vary widely from sprains and arthritis to damage to your ligaments or a tendon. Doveston Health is dedicated to understanding the cause of your ankle pain as well and treating it until the pain subsides and your mobility returns to normal.

Comprehensive Approach to Ankle Pain

Our approach is to gain a comprehensive understanding of the mechanics behind your ankle pain through our detailed assessment. Depending on the mechanics of your ankle injury or condition our treatment options may include bracing or taping to support the ankle, physical therapy to strengthen the muscles surrounding the ankle and increase range of motion and anti-inflammatory medications to reduce pain and swelling.

In more persistent or severe cases our team may need to consider more advanced treatment such as steroid injections or surgical intervention. We work alongside our patients to develop a treatment plan that will help to combat symptoms as well as any underlying issues causing ankle pain.

Our mission and passion at Doveston Health is to help you get back to your daily activities without pain and increase your confidence in the stability of your ankle.