Can An Old Ankle Injury Cause Chronic Swelling Years Later?

Whether professional athletes or individuals who want to stay active, anyone who decides to participate in physical activity needs to understand a few things about pain and swelling caused by previous injuries.

When people are younger, accidents while playing sports are very common. Sports injuries involve the foot or ankle most frequently, and sometimes individuals do not allow enough time to pass before they get back into the game. Even something like a sprained ankle needs the appropriate amount of time to heal before the individual should return to physical activity.

Ankle sprains that suffered in previous years can often haunt athletically active patients if they were not healed properly years ago. Ankle sprains, peroneal tendon tears, twisted ankles, and other common sports injuries can severely affect amateur and professional athletes.

For this reason, our experienced foot and ankle podiatrists at Rogers Foot and Ankle Institute in Eagle Mountain, UT, recommend having any ankle injury checked out thoroughly to avoid serious ankle problems in the future. You will not have to worry about ankle injuries returning years later as an old ankle injury and causing more issues with proper treatment and time to heal.

Importance Of Caring For Ankle Sprains

Many people do not consider ankle sprains a serious injury. This is unfortunate because they do not allow the ankle sprain to heal properly before returning to the sport or activity which caused the ankle sprain. As an ankle surgeon will tell you, one of the leading causes of pain in the ankle is an improperly healed injury from years ago.

It is not normal to feel persistent pain in the ankle during regular athletic activity. It is also not normal for swelling or for the athlete to suffer chronic ankle instability. However, these are a few symptoms that our doctors at Rogers Foot and Ankle Institute see when patients come in.

We frequently find that an old injury was not properly healed years ago while discussing previous medical conditions with our patients. This is often the reason for the new persistent pain and swelling. Continued activity can also lead to worse conditions such as a torn peroneal tendon, injuries to the cartilage of the ankle joint, and other issues that can damage improperly healed ligaments.

When something as simple as an ankle sprain is properly treated and healed, you can rest assured that it will not bother you in years to come. Proper diagnosis and treatment are especially important if the injury is to an even more serious area like the peroneal tendons.

How Can An Old Ankle Sprain Cause Pain And Swelling Years Later?

Essentially, sprained ankles that were not healed properly years ago can leave residual weakness. This weakness is not frequently noticed during regular daily activities. Still, it can certainly affect those working to regain past athletic fitness or want to start new rigorous physical activity.

The residual weakness can result in a higher likelihood of another injury in the area and persistent pain and swelling, and chronic instability. Additionally, earlier injuries that were not properly healed could be the source of arthritis in later years. Arthritis is a painful condition that can affect people’s lives, including their ability to participate in sports.

Treatment Options For Painful Ankle Conditions

The first thing that amateur and professional athletes should do is have any old ankle injury checked out by an experienced ankle surgeon before returning to vigorous physical activity. Treating an injury properly will help to minimize your chances of re-injury or other serious ankle problems.

Once you have been examined, your doctor may recommend that you undergo physical therapy before beginning the regular activity. If necessary, you may need to have a surgical repair completed to ensure that the previous injury does not cause severe problems. This is especially true for peroneal tendon tears.

How To Prevent Old Injuries From Causing Pain And Swelling Now

The absolute best way to prevent old injuries involving the foot from causing pain and swelling in the future is to give the injured area time to heal. Resting and medical treatment will ensure that the healing process is complete, and you will not run the risk of continued damage.

Suppose you have already endured a painful injury, and it is starting to cause pain. In that case, you should certainly have an orthopedic expert examine your foot or ankle to determine what is causing the discomfort. Utilizing the healing qualities of physical therapy will be especially important since it is designed to regain range of motion and work through the pain.

When the injury is too severe, surgery may be necessary. This should only happen as a last resort, and you must know what will happen before making this decision for yourself or your loved one.

Contact Our Professional Eagle Mountain Foot And Ankle Surgeons

Contact Rogers Foot and Ankle Institute today if you live in the Eagle Mountain, UT, area and are experiencing persistent pain that you believe may be caused by a previously unhealed injury. Remember, ankle pain is not a normal part of daily life, so you should not be forced to endure it throughout your day.

Before you start a new kind of physical activity and work to regain past athletic fitness, contact our orthopedic specialists for an evaluation of old sports injuries. These can severely affect your ability to play the sport or participate in the activity unless you have it checked and treated.

Our team understands how challenging it can be not to be able to participate in your favorite activities, and we strive to get you back on your feet as quickly as possible. Contact us at 801-756-4200 to schedule your ankle examination appointment in Eagle Mountain, UT.