Chronic Ankle Pain: When Is It Time To See A Doctor?

Ankle pain can be both chronic and acute. This includes any discomfort in the ankle, which is a common symptom for many people with an injury or wearing high-heels too often. Rogers Foot & Ankle Institute has leading doctors to offer modern-day diagnosis and treatment methods that are designed specifically to address your condition so you’re back on your feet at full strength as soon as possible while also relieving some of the aches associated with it!

This article will review the signs and symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of chronic ankle pain.

Why Does My Ankle Constantly Hurt?

The most common causes of ankle pain include arthritis, ankle sprains, fractures, and normal ankle wear and tear. The cause determines the part where pain or stiffness will be felt. Pain and swelling on the ankle may be severe. The pain can be worse especially when you put any weight on the leg. Over-the-counter medications and rest ice at times remedy the pain. Most times, ankle conditions are treatable without surgery. Sometimes, simple physical therapy could heal the pain. Physical therapy helps relieve the pain and prevent future ankle injuries. However, chronic injury resulting in chronic ankle pain, for example, if one of the bones is broken, may need surgery for the best treatment and for the feet to heal.

Chronic Lateral Ankle Pain

Chronic lateral ankle pain refers to recurring, debilitating pain on the outer side of the foot that is common after a sprain.

What Are The Symptoms Of Chronic Ankle Pain?

There are many symptoms of chronic pain. One of them is severe pain on the outer side of the ankle, with difficulty walking. The pain is constant, with dull aches in some cases. Patients will also have a feeling of instability, swelling, pain, stiffness, tenderness, or repeated ankle sprains.

Causes

Chronic pain is common when the ankle doesn’t heal completely after ankle sprains. A torn or inflamed tendon with a tear, or a fracture in one of the bones making up the ankle joint, an inflammation of the ankle joint lining, or the development of scar tissue in the ankle after a sprain also causes the pains. The scar tissue occupies space in the joint, pressuring the ligament.

Injury of fibula bone causes excruciating pain. Fibula bone fractures result from injury to the joint, those occurring alongside the tibia and stress, and those of the fibula bones. All three cause pain. The pain is usually severe.

How Do You Treat Chronic Ankle Pain?

Before you consider medication for any ankle pain, our orthopedic surgeons should examine your foot and ankle. The orthopedic surgeon needs to know whether you have had an injury previously, how frequent you have been injured, the kind of medication you got when you were injured, how long you had the pain after being injured, whether there are times when the pain worsens or disappears, among other critical questions. The doctor will examine and other tests to ascertain the cause of your pain.

Our new patients enjoy post-operative instructions to maintain health. If a patient has been given surgical shoes, crutches, or walkers for walking, we ensure it is properly used and removed when the time is right. We also offer orthotic break-in recommendations and advice.

For some patients, X-Rays, MRI, or CT scans may be necessary for the examination. An MRI or CT scan will give the orthopedic surgeon better results than a physical examination.

Chronic ankle pain will be treated depending on the final diagnosis. Both treatments non-surgical and surgical treatment is applicable. Non-surgical treatments include anti-inflammatory medication, such as aspirin or ibuprofen to reduce swelling, ankle brace support, steroid injection, etc. In case of a fracture, immobilization is done to enable the bone to heal. Rehabilitation may take 6 weeks to 10 weeks for proper healing.

Surgical treatment options include removal of loose fragments, cleaning the ankle joint or joint surface, repairing or reconstructing the ligaments, or transferring tendons.

Physical exercises or physical therapy, with medications, help relieve ankle pain, but that may not be sufficient especially for a fracture. You may have to see an orthopedic surgeon for the right advice and diagnosis.

Request An Appointment With The Trusted Podiatrist In Utah County

At Rogers Foot and Ankle Institute, we cover three key areas. Ankle injuries, at-home care, and foot care. We handle tendonitis, sprained ankle diagnosis, and treatment, Achilles rupture or tear surgery, chronic ankle instability, arthritis pain treatment, and ankle fracture diagnosis and treatment with injuries. 

Tendonitis affects feet and ankles, causing pain. Inflammations of tendons in the feet develop, stemming from repetitive motion in the joint areas. There is chronic pain that can cause swelling and stiffness. A tendon connects a muscle to the bone for efficient motion. Two peroneal tendons connect the foot and ankle, to provide stability and protect them from injury. If a tendon becomes inflamed, tendonitis occurs.

Ankle sprains are common when one is walking on uneven ground or surface while not paying attention. You can trip, roll, twist, and end up tearing or stretching ligaments., giving way to a sprained ankle. Playing on uneven ground, lack of stretching, poor physical health, prior injury are also sources of sprains and pain. 

Rogers Foot & Ankle Institute will handle this as our medical team has the expertise to handle this. If you injured your ankle and think you might have sprained the ligaments, book an appointment with us for review.

Achilles rupture is an injury caused by a broken or torn tendon. This needs immediate diagnosis and treatment. If you do not get the best treatment in time, consequences could be dire.

If a sprained ankle is not attended to, it can result in chronic ankle instability, causing dangerous consequences to your feet.

Arthritis foot pain is usually indicated by swelling in the toes, or heel joints. tenderness in the joints, pain in the joints, warm foot joints. Depending on your condition, we have specialized diagnosis and treatment options and will offer a diagnosis that suits your unique needs.Book an appointment online today.