Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCausesWhen to Contact a Healthcare ProviderDiagnosisTreatmentPrevention
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Causes
When to Contact a Healthcare Provider
Diagnosis
Treatment
Prevention
Most ankle pain can be managed with rest, modifying activities, supportive footwear, over-the-counter pain medication, and other conservative measures. However, some causes may require further treatment.
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What Can Cause General Ankle Pain When Walking?
Injuries
Injuries that can cause ankle pain include:
Sprained Ankle
A sprained ankle occurs when the ligaments that support the ankle stretch too far and can tear.
A sprained ankle can cause symptoms such as pain (particularly with walking),swelling, and bruising.
There are three grades of ankle sprains:
Broken Ankle
Abroken ankleis a fracture of one or more bones that make up the ankle joint.
The injury can cause symptoms such as:
Ankle fracturescan be classified as:
SyndesmosisInjury
The group of ligaments that stabilizes the joint between the lower end of the tibia and the lower end of the fibula is called the syndesmosis.
Ahigh ankle sprainis asyndesmosis injurythat involves just the ligaments.
A syndesmosis injury may also involve a ligament sprain and one or more fractures. This usually requires surgery.
Overuse
Overuse injuries typically cause an aching pain that comes on gradually, and is often first noticed as discomfort during certain activities, such as walking or running.
If not addressed, the pain becomes more persistent and can lead to conditions such as:
Conditions
Ankle pain can occur with certain conditions.
Arthritis
The majortypes of arthritis that can affect the ankleinclude:
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis.
Unlike osteoarthritis in other joints,osteoarthritis of the ankleusually (in about 90% of cases) develops after an injury, typically a severe strain or fracture that happened years or decades ago.
The most common symptoms of osteoarthritis are:
Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction(PTTD)
PTTD, also called progressive collapsing foot deformity (PCFD) or adult acquired flatfoot (AAF), is an inflammation of the tendon that runs from thetibialis posterior(a muscle in the lower leg) behind the inside bone on the ankle and attaches to the sole of the foot. This tendon helps hold the arch of the foot up and can become inflamed with overuse or injury.
This can result in flattening of the arch of the foot and other deformities.
Symptoms ofPTTDmay include:
Gout
It usually affects the big toe but can occur in any joint,including the ankle. After years of having gout,tophi(lumps of uric acid) can form beneath the skin around the ankles.
Other Conditions
Other conditions that can cause ankle pain include:
Achilles Tendon Rupture
The Achilles tendon is the band of tissue that attaches the calf muscles to the heel.
A ruptured (full or partial tear) of the Achilles tendon can cause symptoms such as:
Heel Bursitis
Retrocalcanealbursitis occurs when the bursa (a small, fluid-filled sac) between the back of the heel bone and the Achilles tendon becomes inflamed.
This can cause pain, swelling, redness, dull aching, and tenderness in the heel or the back of the foot.
This condition develops gradually, typically from pressure from the back of the shoe, or activities that repetitively overflex the foot upward, like running uphill.
Achilles Tendonitis
Types of tendon injuries include:
Achilles tendonitis is an acute inflammation of the Achilles tendon. Over time, the damaged tendon fibers may harden (calcify).
There are two types of Achilles tendonitis that can occur separately or at the same time:
Achilles tendonitis tends to happen from repetitive stress to the tendon rather than a specific injury.
Symptoms may include:
Plantar Fasciitis
Theplantar fasciais a band of connective tissue that runs along the sole of the foot, from the heel to the ball. Plantar fasciitis is bruising or overstretching of this tissue, causing inflammation and heel pain.
Plantar fasciitis can cause symptoms such as:
Heel Spur
Over time, plantar fasciitis can lead to tears and bleeds in the heel, which calcify and form a bony growth called a heel spur.
A heel spur itself does not cause pain and may not have symptoms, but the inflammation associated with it can cause pain.
Call 911, or seek emergency medical treatment, if you have symptoms such as:
See a healthcare provider if you experience symptoms such as:
Diagnosing the Cause of Your Ankle Pain
To diagnose the cause of ankle pain, a healthcare provider may use tools such as:
How Ankle Pain Is Treated
At-Home and Conservative Treatment
Minor ankle pain, such as minor sprains, can often be managed at home with measures such as:
Lifestyle changes may help with some ankle pain, including measures such as:
Noninvasive or Minimally Invasive Medical Treatment
Fractures, more severe sprains, and certain conditions may require medical treatment such as:
Surgery
Depending on the cause, somesurgeriesthat may be recommended include:
Can You Prevent Ankle Pain?
Ankle pain can’t always be prevented, but some things that may reduce the risk include:
Summary
Ankle pain is usually the result of an injury (such as a sprain orbreak), overuse, or conditions such as tendonitis.
Ankle pain is usually diagnosed with a physical examination and sometimes with imaging tools or laboratory testing.
Depending on the cause, ankle pain may be treated with conservative measures such as ice, rest, andexercise, with medical treatment such as casts, or withsurgery.
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Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Sprained ankle.
National Health Service.Ankle pain.
Mount Sinai.Ankle sprain - aftercare.
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Ankle fractures (broken ankle).
Penn Medicine.What should I do when my foot or ankle pain won’t go away?
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Arthritis of the foot and ankle.
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Arthritis Foundation.Osteoarthritis of the ankle.
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Progressive collapsing foot deformity (flatfoot).
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Mass General Brigham.Ankle injuries — when to see a doctor.
MyHealth Alberta.Toe, foot, and ankle problems, non-injury.
National Health Service.Heel pain.
MyHealth Alberta.Retrocalcaneal bursitis.
Penn Medicine.Foot and ankle tendon injuries treatment.
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Cedars-Sinai.Plantar fasciitis.
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Mount Sinai.Ankle pain.
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