When I have ankle pain, I usually visit physical therapy offices near me in Pennsylvania because they are always helpful. Ankle pain can happen slowly over time or suddenly. It could be from obvious injuries like sprain or be caused by medical conditions such as gout and osteoarthritis.

Common causes of ankle pain

The most common cause of ankle pain is ankle sprains which can occur when your ankle ligaments are overstretched or when they tear. Ankle sprains can vary in severity from a rolled or twisted ankle to complete ruptures of the ligament or even broken bones. Ankle sprains can occur in any age group and here are some of the common causes.

  • Awkwardly landing your foot when running
  • Stepping onto an irregular surface
  • Landing unbalanced from a hop or jump
  • Sports that involve swift changes in direction.

Ankle sprains can cause a wide variety of symptoms depending on the severity. Here are some of the common symptoms of ankle sprains.

  • Swelling
  • Bruising
  • A popping sound at the time of the injury
  • Pain
  • Inability to put weight on the foot
  • General stiffness

There are also other causes of ankle pain. Ankle pain can be caused by chronic instability of the ankle from previous sprains. This can either cause lateral or medial ankle pain which can be as much as a niggle to a more constant feeling of unsteadiness with running or walking. These conditions are hard to treat and the pain will persist if you don’t visit physical therapy clinics in Pennsylvania.

Foot and ankle pain that is tendon related can be difficult to diagnose and treat. The ankle has several tendons including the peroneals, Achilles, posterior and tibialis anterior. The muscles of the tendons are responsible for stability and control of the ankle joint which can cause the pain of weakness, instability or instances of overload through doing exercises. This can cause a stiff and swollen ankle with particular directions of movement to be more painful than others. However, this will depend on the affected area. Stiffness and morning pain usually accompany tendon-related pain as well as ankle discomfort after prolonged exercise.

In older populations, osteoarthritis is a common cause of ankle pain due to wear and tear of the joints. This condition can make weight-bearing activities uncomfortable. Stiffness and morning pain are also accompanied in ankle pain related to arthritis which may or may not subside once warmed up.

Your ankle pain can also be caused by gout. This condition is very painful. An acute flare of gout can cause red, hot, swollen and stiff joints. This can make walking to be very difficult. Other causes of ankle pain can be related to nerve problems.

Visit a physiotherapist

Most physical therapy offices near me in Pennsylvania can help relieve ankle pain. However, diagnosing ankle pain is not always simple. A physiotherapist will take your ankle pain history and do special tests. He will then watch how your ankle moves. After understanding the cause of ankle pain, he will create a recovery program for your condition.