Ankle and foot pain can shut you down, ruin any day and keep you from doing the things in life you really enjoy. It’s important to quickly diagnose exactly what’s causing the pain, so it can be treated as naturally and quickly as possible. The West Coast Center for Orthopedics Surgery and Sports Medicine are experts in this diagnosis and treatment.
Ankle and Foot Pain Symptoms
There are many bones, tendons, ligaments and muscles that make up your ankles and feet. They all work together to carry the weight of your body and facilitate mobility. The cause of your pain depends on which parts of these structures are damaged.
Symptoms can include:
• A dull ache
• Ankle swelling
• Bruising
• Redness
• Numbness or tingling
• Instability
• Burning pain
• Inability to bear weight on the affected ankle
• Stiffness
• Weakness
Foot Pain: Injured athlete sitting on a wooden floor
What Might Be Causing Your Pain
Dr. Frey says, “There are several different injuries, conditions and diseases that can cause ankle and foot pain. It is vitally important to accurately find the root cause because a misdiagnosis can make the problem worse. At our office, we take extra time and care to be sure our diagnosis is accurate with multiple tests, scans and other imaging.” Some of the most common causes of ankle and foot pain among our patients include the following:
OSTEOARTHRITIS
Arthritis causes the firm, rubbery, shock absorbing material called cartilage in your joints to deteriorate over time. There are many joints in the foot that can suffer from cartilage damage and osteoarthritis. As this cartilage breaks down, you will fee tenderness, pain, stiffness, swelling and limited mobility.
BURSITIS
Ankle and foot joints have fluid-filled cushions, called bursas. Bursae play a key role in helping your joints move smoothly. When they’re working right, they cushion your bones, tendons, and ligaments as they move against each other. If you overuse a joint in sports or on the job, put it under pressure for a long time, or get a sudden injury, a nearby bursa can get inflamed. The sac fills with extra fluid, which puts pressure on nearby tissue. When these structures become inflamed, they can’t absorb shock as they’re intended to, and your joints may become irritated, causing pain, stiffness and swelling.
ANKLE SPRAIN
When the ligaments in your ankle are stretched or torn due to an injury, it’s referred to as a sprained ankle. Repeated injuries to this area can result in chronic pain and weakness, so prompt treatment is necessary. Even though ankle sprains are common, they are not always minor injuries. Some people with repeated or severe sprains can develop long-term joint pain, weakness and giving way of the ankle. Treating a sprained ankle can help prevent ongoing ankle problems.
ACHILLES TENDONITIS
A common injury among runners and other athletes, Achilles tendinitis is an overuse injury that causes progressive pain in the back of the leg and above the heel after activity. However, factors unrelated to exercise may also contribute to your risk. Rheumatoid arthritis and infection are both linked to tendonitis.
PLANTAR FASCIITIS
One of the most common causes of heel pain, plantar fasciitis is very common among runners. It causes stabbing pain that is worse when you first wake up in the morning, but tends to improve throughout the day. Plantar fasciitis is caused by straining the ligament that supports your arch. Repeated strain can cause tiny tears in the ligament. These can lead to pain and swelling.
Elite Treatment for Your Ankle and Foot Pain
Regardless of the underlying cause of your foot and ankle pain, our physiatrists at the Orthohealing Center have access to new and innovative therapies that can potentially relieve your discomfort and promote healing naturally and without surgery so you can start feeling better as quickly as possible.
Many of the treatments utilized by the Orthohealing Center’s physiatrists focus on treating the root cause of your injury, by attempting to repair the damage from the inside out while potentially slowing the progression of your condition. Rather than providing a quick Band-Aid approach, we work diligently with our patients in Los Angeles and surrounding areas to provide a natural alternative for healing, to help people return to doing what they love and live a healthier lifestyle.
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