What's Causing Your Ankle Pain?

Find out why your ankle might be hurting you and when to seek help.

While you might not realize it, your ankle joint withstands a lot of pressure and force day in and day out. In fact, the ankle ends up handling ankle painforces that are several times your body weight when running or jumping. So, it isn’t too surprising that sometimes your ankle may cause you problems that require a trip to our West Houston podiatrists Dr. Samuel Mendicino, Dr. Asia Lo, and Dr. Manish Patel for treatment.

What is causing my ankle pain?

The ankle is comprised of many tendons, ligaments, muscles, and bones. Injury or damage to one or more of these ankle parts can lead to pain. Causes of ankle pain may include,

  • Sprains and strains
  • Stress fracture
  • Tarsal tunnel syndrome
  • Broken ankle
  • Achilles tendinitis
  • Arthritis
  • Broken ankle
  • Bursitis

Simple strains and sprains are very common in those experiencing ankle pain. Of course, they are not the only cause, and it’s important to understand what’s causing your pain so that you can treat the problem right away before it gets worse.

When should I see a doctor?

It’s amazing how ankle pain can become severe even if the problem is rather minor. While most of the time it’s usually fine to try caring for the ankle and foot on your own before visiting your West Houston foot and ankle specialist, you will want to see us right away if,

  • You experience severe pain or swelling
  • There is an open wound
  • The ankle looks deformed
  • There are signs of an infection (tenderness; redness; fever)
  • You can’t put weight on the foot

While not an emergency situation, you should still give us a call to schedule an evaluation if you have pain or swelling that doesn’t go away with at-home care after a couple of days. If pain also gets worse despite at-home treatment then it’s time to see an ankle specialist.

How is ankle pain addressed?

Many ankle injuries can be managed with simple self-care options such as the “RICE” method (rest, ice, compression, and elevation). Minor ankle pain can also be temporarily alleviated with over-the-counter painkillers such as ibuprofen, which can target both pain and swelling. Of course, depending on the cause of your ankle pain, our foot doctor may recommend a protective boot or brace, crutches, physical therapy, or stronger pain medications.

Even with care, you may still notice that your ankle is stiff or swollen for a few weeks. It’s important that if symptoms worsen or change that you call us so that we can make sure your ankle is getting the most effective care.

Concerned? Give us a call!

If you are living with ankle pain in West Houston, it’s important that to have a podiatrist that you can turn to for the answers and care you need to get back on your feet. Call the Foot & Ankle Institute today at (281) 531-4100!

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West Houston Location

Monday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Tuesday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Wednesday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Thursday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Friday:

9:00 am-4:00 pm

Saturday:

Closed

Sunday:

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Monday:

Closed

Tuesday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Wednesday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Thursday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Friday:

1:00 pm-5:00 pm

Saturday:

Closed

Sunday:

Closed