There are many different causes of foot and ankle pain, so many in fact; it would be nearly impossible for us to go into all of them here. Instead, we are going to speak of the more common causes of ankle and foot pain, the treatment options available for them and when you should seek medical attention if you think that one of these causes sounds like the cause of your pain. Do not attempt any of the treatment options that you read about in this article before you have had your pain seen to by a professional, doing so may result in further complications and a longer recovery time.
The most common causes of pain in your foot and ankle
There are a lot of causes of pain in the foot and the ankle as we said. However, there are fewer causes that affect both at the same time; these are the causes that we are going to mention here. The causes below may not be the cause of your pain, but they are the most common to affect the ankle and the foot at the same time.
Sprains and strains
The most common cause of a sprain or strain is physical activities. Landing with your weight to one side of the ankle can cause your ankle to twist or roll over. A popping sound usually accompanies this and then the area will swell and there may be bruising on the ankle and the foot. A sprain or strain is likely to clear up by itself in a few weeks. However, if you think it is more serious (perhaps a fractured bone) consult your GP or go straight to A&E.
Fracture
A broken or cracked bone could be the cause of the pain in your ankle and foot. If you are finding it extremely painful to put any pressure on your foot, if the skin around the area is bruised and if the area is swelling, this can be caused by a fracture. A fracture can happen suddenly (as a result of an accident) or gradually (a result of a lot of high impact sports). Go to your doctor as soon as you can if you think that you have a fracture, they will recommend you to the nearest hospital for X-rays.
Achilles tendon injuries
This condition can cause pain in the back of your heel and up towards your ankle. The pain can often be relieved by using ice on the area and resting; this can take several months to heal completely. If you have experienced a snapping or popping sensation in the back of your heel, this might be an indication that you have torn your Achilles’ tendon. You should seek medical attention as soon as you can.
We hope that the information about these possible causes of foot and ankle pain has helped you understand what might be causing yours. We regret that we can’t go into too much detail about these here. However, we do have other articles on our blog related to the conditions mentioned above, so please have a read of these before you leave.