Most of the common causes of ankle pain are movement or weakness issues that have lead to a gradual build up of stress in the connective tissues of the ankle over time. Other causes include injury and even serious disease processes. Potential causes of ankle pain include…
Very high arches
Flat feet or low arches
Tight IT Band
Genetic predispositions
Scar tissue
Weakness in lower leg & ankle muscles
Weakness in hip & knee muscles
Glutes not firing properly
Old injuries and sprains
Problems with running technique
Back problems
Muscle Tears
Bone Cancers
Infections
Arthritis
The best treatment for ankle pain is ultimately the one that proves to be effective in your particular case. In many ways treatment for pain is a lot like diet, in the sense that we all have requirements that are somewhat unique.
Broadly speaking the goals of treatment are pain relief and figuring out why the pain is happening in the first place. The majority of regular, uncomplicated ankle pain sufferers respond well to treatments that are designed to promote blood flow and collagen regeneration. Beyond pain relief, many cases require some form of slightly longer term rehab program, and insoles/orthotics can be useful too.
Specific treatments for ankle pain that have proven useful for us over the years include..
Acupuncture
Cryotherapy
Scar Tissue Release ( Graston Technique / Guasha )
Deep Tissue Release
Post-Isometric Stretches
Joint Mobilisation
Extracorporeal Shock Therapy
Balance & Proprioception Exercises
Custom Orthotics ,
There are a great many tendons that cross the ankle joint. These tendons are the attachments for the lower leg muscles, many of which are just passing through on their way to insert on the foot bones. Ankle tendonitis or ankle tendinosis (as we prefer to call it these days) is caused by microscopic wear and tear in an ankle tendon.
The primary symptom associated with ankle tendonitis/ ankle tendinosis is pain related to movement. Some cases of ankle tendinitis generate sharp sudden ‘catching’ or ‘pinching’ pain felt at certain times and in certain positions. Other cases of tendinitis manifest as difficulty bearing weight or moving without what feels like pain from the joint. Achilles tendinitis/tendinosis is soften associated with obvious thickening of the tendon.
Scar tissue, tendonitis, flat feet, muscle weakness, unresolved sprains, arthritis, joint infections, bone diseases and even gout can cause ankle pain with no swelling. It’s more probable that you have some scar tissue, weakness or an unresolved sprain than anything more serious. Persistent pains, however, are not supposed to be ignored, so see a trained health professional if you are having problems.
Having your custom orthotics recovered every couple of years is advisable and feels good. This comes at a cost of about $50-70 depending on materials and any further modifications that might be needed.
There is a wide range of physical issues that can cause sharp ankle pains when walking. The possible causes are much the same as the possible causes of any kind of ankle pain and they include..
Very high arches
Flat feet
Scar tissue
Weakness in lower leg & ankle muscles
Weakness in hip & knee muscles
Old injuries and sprains
Problems with running technique
Muscle Tears
Bone Cancers
Infections
Arthritis
In our experience, the most common causes of sharp ankle pains felt when walking and running are weakness and scar tissue, both of which can develop slowly over time as well as after a significant injury.