Posted On: September 9, 2020
Ankle Pain, how to prevent ankle injuries after running, Ankle Pain Doctor in Dallas Plano, allows your leg to turn and twist in any direction. When you twist or turn your leg in an awkward manner, the ankle can get sprained or injured. The ligaments holding the ankle together can be forced to move beyond their normal range of movement.
Ankle pain can also result from an injury or trauma. It can also result from a variety of conditions. The ankle can become broken, fractured, or sprained. When any of this happens, you will feel varying levels of pain.
Ankle pain can be caused by injury, trauma and several other conditions. Ankle pain can be caused by injuries of the ankle bones, tendons, or ligaments.
Several different types of arthritis such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and many others can lead to ankle pain.
Athletes and individuals that engage in sports such as football, running, jogging, are at higher risk of having ankle injury and pain.
The common cause of ankle pain is injury and trauma to the ankle. Twisting or turning the ankle in an awkward manner when running or walking is also a common cause of ankle pain.
Other causes of ankle pain may include:
The common symptom of ankle pain is pain in your ankle. The pain may feel like a stabbing or burning pain. Other symptoms include:
During diagnosis, your doctor will review your medical history and conduct a physical examination to know the exact cause of the pain. Your doctor will apply some amount of pressure on the ankle area to feel for tenderness. You may be asked to stand or walk around the room to enable your doctor to determine the extent of damage and the areas you feel increased pain. You may be asked to describe your symptoms.
If the Ankle Pain is caused by arthritis or other medical conditions, your doctor may conduct imaging scans such as X-ray to view the internal structure of your ankle for any abnormalities.
The treatment option of ankle pain depends on the cause and severity of the pain. Mild ankle pain can be treated using home remedies while severe ankle pain requires medical treatments.
If you have a mild ankle injury or pain, you can treat yourself at home without needing medical help or going to the clinic. Using the R.I.C.E approach can help relieve your pain.
Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen, naproxen sodium, or acetaminophen can help relieve ankle pain and swelling.
You can relieve ankle pain by applying topical patches and creams to the affected ankle.
Injecting corticosteroids into the affected ankle can help numb the pain and reduce inflammation.
You may need to use supports to decrease the weight applied to the ankle. Using crutches help to relieve pain and promote quick healing. Your doctor may prescribe using an elastic bandage, sports tape or ankle support to stabilize your ankle. If you have a severe sprain, a cast or walking boot may be used to immobilize the lower leg while the ligament heals.
Engaging in strengthening and flexibility exercises help to restore your ankle’s range of motion, flexibility, strength and stability. Your primary care physician or a physical therapist will suggest the most appropriate exercises and physical activities that you should do.
Stability and balance training are particularly essential to retrain the ankle muscles to effectively support the joint and to help forestall repetitive sprains.
Physical therapy programs are part of the recovery process and incorporating strengthening exercises can help strengthen the ankle.
If other conservative treatments don’t improve your condition or stop the pain, surgery may be required. Surgery may be performed to repair a ligament that won’t heal or reconstruct a ligament.
Fractures are repaired with casting to immobilize the bone to promote healing. Depending on the severity, fractures can require orthopedic casting or surgical procedures such as pinning and open repair of the fractured bone.
Ankle dislocation can cause complete damage and disruption of the ligaments that support the ankle joints. An ankle dislocation generally requires a surgical repair.
Athletes are more at risk of having ankle injuries. This is because running is the primary activity that can lead to ankle injuring. When running, you could sprain or twist your ankle in an awkward manner. This can lead to torn tendon and ligament around the ankle.
Preventing ankle injuries, especially when running is a way to keep you safe from experiencing ankle pain. There are certain ways you can prevent ankle injuries when running.
These include:
