Ankle Pain: Causes and Tips to Feel Better and Prevent Injury

Guest post by Rosanne Ho

Our feet and ankles are the base of our body, and are a crucial aspect to the foundation of everything we do. It’s helpful to have strong, resilient ankles to prevent ankle injuries or foot pain as well as prevent dysfunctions up the chain (hip, knee, foot). But what happens when you do experience ankle pain? Let’s dive into a common region our physical therapists treat!

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What is Ankle Pain? What are Common Causes?
Ankle pain can often occur from an injury, such as a sprain, but can also be caused by ankle weakness, stiffness, arthritis, gout, tendonitis, fracture, nerve compression (tarsal tunnel syndrome), infection and poor structural alignment of the leg or foot. Ankle pain can be associated with swelling, stiffness, redness and warmth in the involved area or loss of function with walking, running, squatting, or jumping. Pain can range from dull and aching to stiff or sore to sharp and stabbing depending on the cause.

Relief Methods for Ankle Pain
Ankle pain can become chronic especially when not treated appropriately. Immediate home treatment after an injury should be done to help ease pain and promote healing. For many years, health professionals have been recommending the RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) method, but this is unfortunately outdated. 

While a little bit of rest is necessary, the problem with RICE is that people usually tend to overstretch the meaning of “rest”. This tendency can lead to decreased muscle strength and flexibility, which in turn, can delay your return to normal function and activity. Another problem is that RICE hasn’t been proven to work that effectively. A study from the Journal of Athletic Training found a lack of solid evidence that RICE produces better outcomes. In fact, some experts even believe that applying ice right after an injury impedes the normal healing process.

Currently, rehabilitation specialists are recommending the POLICE method, which includes:

• Protection. Rest is certainly important for the first few days after injury. But after that, you should start making gentle motions while maintaining protection to your injured area. Crutches may be needed as an assistive device to help with this.
• Optimum Loading. These are the gentle motions you do while maintaining the protection phase. Looking for an example? Check out this post and you can find more examples of these from our Instagram and by searching #paceptankle.
• Ice. Place an ice pack on your ankle for 15 to 20 minutes. Do this about three to five times a day or every few hours for a few days after the injury. This is to help with reducing the swelling and numbing the pain. 
• Compression. Wrap your ankle with an elastic bandage to reduce the inflammation and swelling. Make sure it is tight enough to support it but be careful not to wrap your bandage around too tight where it restricts blood flow. 
• Elevation. Elevate your ankle above heart level. This also reduces the swelling and  you can try to do this while you sleep at night. 

How to Prevent an Ankle Injury
While you may not always be able to prevent an injury, there are a number of ways to prevent pain. Some simple ways include:

• Wear the right type of shoes. Make sure the shoes you wear are the right type of footwear when you walk, exercise or play sports. You want to stay away from anything that is too small or compressed near the toes. Replace your shoes when you see them wearing down. It is also important to wear socks underneath to prevent blisters. 
• Warm-up properly. Our therapists, as well as the research, recommends dynamic stretching to increase full body mobility and load your muscles before doing exercises and sports. This helps to keep your muscles mobile and strong so they can quickly respond to the demands placed on the body with activity. Without this, your joints and muscles may remain stiff and tight without proper circulation.
• Maintain a healthy weight. Extra weight can create extra pressure on your joints. A study from The Journal of Sports Medicine finds that there was an increased odds of sport injury in the obese compared to healthy weight individuals. 
• Stop at the sign of pain. Don’t push your body when you sense any signs of pain. Take a break when it becomes uncomfortable. See your healthcare provider if your pain doesn’t get better or if you’re unsure what is causing it.

Seeing a doctor of physical therapy and taking early action against your pain or injury will help you prevent a worsening situation, will help to strengthen your muscles and support your feet and ankles, and will keep the foundation of your body working well together. Certain programs your physical therapist creates for you can also help prevent future pain and other injuries in a different part of your body. If you’re looking for more tips or ideas to help prevent ankle pain, check out our Instagram Page or search #paceptankle on Instagram.

When To See A Doctor?
While practicing home relief methods can help improve your healing, it’s preferred to see a medical professional rather than trying to self-diagnose when the pain in your ankles becomes more intense or lasts longer than a few days. If there’s a change in circulation and temperature, increased swelling, tenderness to touch, signs of infection, or you cannot put normal weight through your foot, go see a professional and get the correct care for your body! When in doubt, call your doc!

​Our Doctors of Physical Therapy make it easy to hop on a quick phone call, discuss your symptoms and get guidance on where to start for your healing. 

Have a question? Request a Call!

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References:
van den Bekerom MP, Struijs PA, Blankevoort L, et al. What Is the Evidence for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation Therapy in the Treatment of Ankle Sprains in Adults? https://meridian.allenpress.com/jat/article/47/4/435/111307/What-Is-the-Evidence-for-Rest-Ice-Compression-and
Sears, J. (2020, April 28). The P.O.L.I.C.E. Principle Emergency Treatment for Acute Injuries. https://www.verywellhealth.com/the-police-principle-for-acute-sprains-and-strains-2696549
Richmond, S., Nettel-Aguirre, A., Doyle-Baker, P., Macpherson, A., Emery, C. (2016, July 20). Examining Measures of Weight as Risk Factors for Sport-Related Injury in Adolescents. The Journal of Sports Medicine https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jsm/2016/7316947/