Ankle Pain Explained
Ankle pain can be caused by so many things: abruptly direct contact with objects (such as the sharp edge of a scooter—ouch!), twists from tripping or slipping, sprains, strains, and worse; and they occur mostly as a result of running or playing sports. These injuries are classified into two categories, namely; superficial and deep. The symptoms of the relatively lesser 'superficial' ankle pain can include anything from scrapes, stiffness, a popping sensation, which is caused by strain on the ligaments, and can be easily treated with ice. On the other hand, the symptoms of deep ankle pains include injuries that are chronic, and may also involve swelling and redness, and a loss of flexibility.
Ankle pain is a very common ailment and it can be very difficult to diagnose, mainly because it is often not debilitating. However, it can be effectively treated if timely diagnosis is done and adequate treatment followed. In order to understand what ankle pain is explained, we need to understand the causes and the types of this ailment.
One of the most common causes of Ankle Pain is overexertion from prolonged standing or walking, causing the ankle to stretch and tear. This leads to microscopic tears in the foot arch tendons that attach the toes to the ankle. In such a situation, shoe inserts and orthotic insoles with arch support can provide relief and create an environment where the tears can begin to heal and further damage to the tendons is prevented. In addition, ankle pain relief can also be provided by making use of ankle braces, which help in preventing further stretching of the ankle.
Another common cause of ankle pain is injury to the ankle, due to falls or injuries. For this condition, you need to rest the injured part and apply topical anesthesia, which gives instant pain relief. However, there are certain precautions that must be taken in order to avoid any kind of complications. First of all, you should see a podiatrist, who in turn will give you advice on how to take care of your ankle. Usually, the doctor orders you to wear some support or compression socks, which when properly worn reduces the amount of pressure on the ankle and provides immediate pain relief.
However, in order to reduce the pain and disability associated with ankle joint related problems, a lot of people use an ankle brace to ease the pain and to provide ankle support. The ankle braces are fitted on the foot, after which they are worn for few days, allowing the injuries to heal. The major benefit of Ankle Brace is that they prevent swelling, which helps in treating the ankle joint. The main drawback of Ankle Brace is that after a prolonged period of time, blisters and sores on the skin from chaffing against the brace itself can occur, and many people tend to cease use of the brace. On the extremely long-term scale, if the injury is not treatable due to deterioration or arthritis of the joint, if you opt for ankle replacement surgery, you can enjoy long term benefits with less ongoing maintenance, as the surgery is a permanent solution.
There are some very important points that should be kept in mind while opting for ankle pain treatment; the first and foremost point is the reason behind the pain. When the pain arises, it is important to find out what actually is causing the pain. If you feel that the pain is caused due to the deficiency of the blood supply to the damaged area, you should immediately consult your orthopedic surgeon. If you feel that the pain arises due to any reason that is known, then you should consult your osteopath for remedial measures. If the pain is from an unknown cause, immediately consult your specialist. On the whole, it can be said that the treatment for ankle pain depends on the causative factor—something usually not discoverable from an internet search.
