Ankle Pain

Your ankle bears your body weight while providing a wide range of motion. When you injure your ankle, it not only hurts, but it also severely reduces your mobility. Ankle pain may mean you received an injury, such as a fracture, a sprain or worse. Diseases — such as osteoarthritis, gout or diabetes — can also cause ankle pain. Get an accurate diagnosis from a board-certified podiatrist like Dr. Velimir Petkov at Premier Podiatry. They’re located just outside of NYC in northern NJ. Call today to get out of pain and back on your feet!

One of the most complex joints of your body, your ankle consists of ligaments, tendons, muscles and bone. It’s strong enough to bear your entire body weight and flexible enough to let you move in various directions. Your ankle is the meeting point of three major bones, and any damage to its structure can result in swelling, pain and a loss of mobility. Whenever you’re in pain or limited in mobility, don’t keep taking over-the-counter painkillers; find expert ankle pain treatment.

Dr. Velimir Petkov, your New Jersey podiatrist, first determines the cause of your ankle pain before recommending treatment. Front ankle pain treatment addresses sprains, joint inflammation, bursitis, psoriatic arthritis, stress fractures, or even gout. Back of ankle pain treatment focuses primarily on Achilles tendonitis or a rupture to that tendon. If you need ankle pain treatment, visit Dr. Petkov and his team at Premier Podiatry in Clifton, NJ.

Symptoms Requiring Ankle Pain Treatment

Although quite painful, simple sprains or strains may respond well enough to standard self-care options such as rest, ice, compression and elevation. But only a podiatrist can determine whether you have a sprain, strain or something more serious. Seek ankle pain treatment to know for certain why your ankle hurts, especially if you notice:

• Significant swelling
• Severe pain
• Pervasive bruising
• A burning sensation
• An open wound
• A loose feeling in the joint that contributes to ankle instability
• A visible deformity of the ankle
• An inability to put any weight on your foot
• Signs of an infection, such as fever, redness, warmth or severe tenderness

If Dr. Petkov recommends self-care techniques, your symptoms should improve within about a week. But if the swelling hasn’t diminished and the pain persists for longer than that, you may have some structural ankle damage that requires ankle pain treatment from a specialist.

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Risk Factors for Ankle Pain

While anyone can experience ankle pain, especially after a foot injury, some people are more susceptible to serious damage. If you’re an athlete who engages in high-impact exercise, you may have weakened your ankle muscles, making an injury more likely. If you’ve had previous ankle injuries, it becomes easier to reinjure it.

Tearing or straining your ankle tendons, such as the Achilles tendon, weakens the structure of the ankle and leaves it more susceptible to future injury. Other causes of ankle pain include a medical disorder, such as:

• Tendonitis. Overexertion of your tendons can lead to inflammation and irritation. It’s a common cause of ankle and heel pain.
• Gout. Although not as common today as in years past, gout is a painful arthritic condition, caused by an excess buildup of uric acid in your blood.
• Osteoarthritis. The most common form of arthritis, osteoarthritis is a result of wear and tear on your joints. The smooth coating of cartilage in the joint disappears, and your bones grind against each other.
• Psoriatic arthritis. This inflammatory arthritis can occur in tandem with psoriasis.
• Diabetes. Diabetic neuropathy is a form of nerve damage. It’s common in your legs, feet and ankles.
• Tarsal tunnel syndrome. The nerves in your ankle become compressed due to overuse, strain or injury. Comparable to the more widely known carpal tunnel syndrome you can get in your wrists, tarsal tunnel syndrome may require minimally invasive surgery to relieve pressure as part of your ankle pain treatment.

In rare circumstances, infections from an injury, diabetes or an impaired immune system may result in inflammation, bruising and pain. Such infections require prompt medical treatment to prevent a more widespread or systemic infection, which can become life-threatening.

How to Relieve Ankle Pain

After reviewing your medical history, Dr, Petkov performs a thorough examination, which may include imaging tests like a digital x-ray. Once he reaches a definitive diagnosis, he recommends an ankle pain treatment designed to relieve your discomfort and maximize healing. Starting with the most conservative methods, your podiatrist may suggest:

• Self-care at home involving rest, ice, compression and elevation
• Over-the-counter pain medicine
• Immobilization with a brace, cast or specialized boot
• Reducing the weight you place on the ankle with crutches, a walker or a cane
• Prescription medication, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to reduce swelling and combat pain
• Cortisone shots to minimize the swelling and discomfort
• Physical therapy to strengthen compromised muscles to protect the entire ankle
• Treatment of any contributing causes, such as diabetic neuropathy, rheumatoid arthritis or gout
• Surgical options for the more severe cases of ankle pain, such as:
  • Achilles tendon surgery 
  • Heel spur surgery
  • Nerve impingement endoscopy

Effective treatment for both the front and back of your ankle requires a highly trained and experienced podiatrist. Say goodbye to ankle pain. Contact Premier Podiatry in northern NJ to make an appointment today.

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