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Ankle pain
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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The ankle protrudes laterally on the foot just above the foot and represents bone cones. She takes on a significant role in the process of walking a person.
During walking, the human weight moves to the foot, and the ankle shifts all pressure on itself. Therefore, this leg area is most injured and the person feels pain in the ankle.
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Causes of the pain in the ankle
Pain in the ankle may appear in the following cases:
- Sometimes the foot can turn outward and then on the ligaments supporting it, too much overload is created, which can lead to sprainage. Often, both muscle tissue breaks and bone fractures. Any of these injuries causes severe pain in the ankle. As the injured part of the leg swells, movement becomes impossible, and the surrounding tissue changes its normal color.
- Pain in the ankle does not always appear only because of sudden rotational movements. Tendinitis can also cause these painful sensations. With tendinitis, the tendon tissues that connect the bones of the foot with the muscles of the lower leg become inflamed. Provoke this disease can be long walking, prolonged standing on the legs, a load from too rapid descent or tedious recovery. Especially vulnerable is the tendon that rises on the surface of the ankle from behind, starting from the heel. This is Achilles tendon. It is quite often subject to stretching and tearing.
- An ankle bag may suffer from bursitis (an inflammatory process caused by excessive stress) and then pain in the ankle is unavoidable.
- Active sports (basketball, football, aerobics) are often accompanied by such injuries as a crack or fracture of the ankle. Pain in the ankle can be troubling for a long time, since such damage is not easy to identify. For example, it should take approximately 6 weeks from the time of injury, so that after passing through the X-ray, the doctor could ascertain his fracture of the ankle.
- Those who disregard the careful selection of their shoes, often have to endure the pain in the ankle. The human leg is quite receptive to walking on a hard surface and turning the foot, and if the shoes are picked up incorrectly and badly fixes the foot, the likelihood of injury is high. Buy shoes should be strong, in size, with a supporter, cushioning insole and designed for a specific case, especially important for sports shoes. And it is important to remember that shoes provide good support for the foot for only eight months, so wearing it for several seasons is not recommended.
- Some diseases in their symptoms have pain in the ankle. When gout it is jerking, it is a companion of swelling of the joints, when uric acid is deposited in them.
- Painful sensations in the ankle region are also aggravated in patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, nerve damage, circulatory disorders, as well as in people with bone spurs or injured, in which small pieces of interarticular cartilage or bone tissue have come off.
Treatment of the pain in the ankle
If the ankle is damaged, it is necessary to secure a rest, apply the ice to the injured place for a while, and then apply a pressure bandage with the help of elastic bandage. It is also recommended to lift the diseased limb (you can put, for example, on the pillow).
But in any case, if a person stumbles accidentally, jumps his leg, lands unsuccessfully from a jump, and has an unbearable pain in his ankle, in addition to the above-described set of measures, he should visit a medical center and consult a traumatologist or rheumatologist.
What if I have pain in my ankle?
When there is pain in the ankle, treatment must begin immediately. If it is possible to call a doctor or go to a medical facility, then you can provide first aid to your ankle at home.
The first and most effective method is to adhere to four rules: ice, peace, height and tightening.
An icy compress should be applied to the sore ankle, but no more than for 20 minutes. To avoid frostbite, ice should be put in a towel. After that, you need to put a bandage out of the elastic bandage. Rest is the best medicine. You need to take a horizontal position, and put something under your leg so that the leg is above the level of the head.
Another method of treatment is ginger. The root of medicinal ginger should be poured with boiling water and let it infuse. Then wet the towel in the broth and apply to the damaged ankle.
If the compresses do not help, you can resort to painkillers that are dispensed in a pharmacy without a prescription. It can be ibuprofen, aspirin, acetaminophen and the like. Take painkillers should be strictly according to the instructions to avoid an overdose. When taking pills, the pain should not disappear completely, to prevent re-injury.
Under the heels, you can put special pads or soft pads, raising the heel by 10-15 cm.
Do not forget about rest - this is the main component of any treatment. After the removal of pain, it is very important to improve the ligaments, muscles and tendons. To do this, you need to do the following exercises that promote good blood circulation:
- On the floor, take a sitting position and stretch your legs in front of you;
- towel wrap around the rise of the foot and grasp the edges of the towel;
- bending the foot closer to yourself, you should pull the towel for 10 seconds;
- Within 5 seconds, pull your toes in front. The towel should be stretched. Exercise repeat 10 times.
If everything is done correctly - preventing subsequent injuries is guaranteed.
In addition, the doctor can advise the patient, change shoes. Often, ankle injuries occur because of wearing the wrong shoes, in which the feet feel uncomfortable, often tucked.
When wearing shoes to people suffering from frequent ankle injury and having a diagnosis of "flat feet", it is recommended to use the arch supports. Also, life can be facilitated with the help of shock absorbing insoles and special orthopedic shoes.
In addition, shoes should be changed at least every 6-8 months. It is during this time of wearing shoes that it comes into a worn condition and the leg no longer feels comfortable in it.