When to Seek Help for Your Ankle Pain
Your ankle seems to hurt more and more every day—is it time to seek help? Your foot doctors at Big Sky Foot & Ankle Institute in Bozeman and Butte, MT, say, “Why wait?” Start feeling better and preserve your mobility with a complete podiatric examination. During this appointment, Dr. Dallin Greene or Dr. Nathan Judd can uncover the reasons for your ankle pain and show you ways to overcome it.
You and your ankles
Your ankles contain seven bones, including the lower leg bones, the fibula, and tibula. Bearing much of your body weight as you stand and move, your ankles withstand literally tons of pressure over the course of a day. As such, much can go wrong with their bones, joints, and connective tissues.
In particular, people who are extremely active(e.g. runners and tennis players) place substantial twisting forces on their ankles. Additionally, with time and age come wear-and-tear and conditions that impact the appearance and function of your ankles.
Ankle pain: sources, diagnosis, and treatment
Sources of ankle pain include:
- Sprain, a tearing or stretching of the connective tissue in the ankle (usually the result of a sudden, lateral twisting)
- Instability (from a previous injury such as a severe sprain)
- Fracture (an acute or stress fracture from overuse or playing sports)
- Arthritis (osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis)
- Bursitis (inflammation of the fluid-filled sacs which cushion the ankle joint)
- Fallen arches (i.e. flat feet)
- Tarsal tunnel syndrome (a compression of the nerve running down the inside of the leg to the ankle)
- Achilles tendinitis (an inflammation of the large tendon which connects the calf muscle and the heel)
At our offices in Bozeman and Butte, MT, Dr. Greene and Dr. Judd use a physical examination and X-ray imaging (sometimes including an MRI or CT scan) to determine the source of your ankle pain. Using this information, your podiatrist will craft a treatment plan to include some of the following:
- Rest
- Ice
- Elevation
- Bandaging (compression)
- Casting
- Ibuprofen for pain
- Cortisone injections to reduce inflammation
- Shoe orthotics to correct gait issues which place undue stress on the ankles
- Physical therapy (specific stretching exercises help ease the pain of Achilles tendinitis)
Surgery is an option, too, but rarely is it the first choice.
Hurting? See one of our foot doctors today
Ankle pain is not a normal part of aging or foot function. If you hurt, please contact Big Sky Foot & Ankle for a consultation. For the Butte location, phone (406) 782-2278, and for the Bozeman office, call (406) 206-6366. Our foot doctors also have a satellite in Anaconda.
