Ask someone with a bad ankle how it started, and you’ll usually get a story. They stepped off a curb wrong. They came down hard in a pickup basketball game, or they turned it on a loose rock hiking. Then they forgot about it for a year or two.
That part is common. The ankle seems fine for a while, and then it starts hurting every time you walk the dog.
Old Sprains Leave Loose Ligaments
Your ankle has a few ligaments on the outside that keep the bones lined up. Sprain it badly enough and they get stretched. Sometimes they heal a little longer than they were, and then the joint has more play in it than it should. People with this roll their ankle on things that shouldn’t matter. A crack in a parking lot can do it. So can the last step off the porch.
There’s a balance piece too. After an injury, the small muscles around the ankle get slow to react. They used to catch you before you went over. Now they’re a step behind.
It Isn’t Always a Sprain
Plenty of people we see never had one big injury. For them, it’s usually one of these:
- Arthritis, often in an ankle that was broken years ago
- Tendonitis on the outer edge of the ankle
- Flat feet, which wear on the tendon along the inside over time
- A pinched nerve (this one tends to burn or tingle)
We can often guess which one it is from how you describe the pain. If you say it’s stiff and achy when you wake up, arthritis moves up the list. Pain along one side that builds as you walk sounds more like a tendon.
What Happens When You Come In
Expect to talk for a while first. We want to know when it started, whether it swells, and if you feel shaky on gravel or stairs. After that, we’ll have you walk across the room, stand on one foot, and let us move the ankle around. Loose ligaments are pretty easy to feel. Sore tendons usually hurt right away when we press on them. If we still can’t tell what’s going on, we may order imaging to look at the bone and cartilage.
How We Help It Heal
Surgery is rarely where we start. Most people do well with physical therapy, and a lot of that therapy is about balance. You’ll stand on one leg, then on a wobble board, then with your eyes closed. It teaches those slow muscles to fire faster again. We also build strength in the calf and the muscles along the outside of the lower leg.
Some people wear a brace for a while, especially on hikes or uneven ground. When a tendon or arthritis turns out to be the bigger problem, we calm that down first and work on balance after. Plan on a couple of months of steady work. It’s slow, but the ankle does get steadier.
Let’s Take a Look at That Ankle
If your ankle has been sore or shaky for months, come see our team at Modern Medicine of Mesa, AZ. We’ll find out why it keeps hurting and help you get it solid again.
