Introduction
Pain in the outer ankle is very common. The foot and the ankle joint are a highly stressed structure and can quickly cause discomfort due to incorrect and excessive strain. Just wearing the wrong shoes or twisting the foot can lead to pain in the area of the outer ankle. Often the pain is only temporary, but in some cases a torn ligament or broken bone can be the cause of the pain, so that further treatment is necessary.
Causes of pain in the outer ankle
The causes of pain in the area of the outer ankle are very diverse. Many sports, especially jogging or jumping, which cause long-term overloading of the foot, can cause pain in the outer ankle. The skin, muscles and bones are very sensitive, so even light blows or kicks can cause pain.
Wearing the wrong shoes or walking for a long time on an unstable ground can also cause pain. Accidents can also be a cause, for example if you twist your foot inwards. If this causes torn ligaments or broken bones, the pain can become worse.
The peroneal tendon syndrome is an inflammation of the tendons of the long and short fibula muscle (m. Peroneus longus and brevis). These muscles are located on the lateral lower leg and run around the outer ankle and then attach to the metatarsal. They stabilize the arch of the foot and also have functions in various movements of the foot.
In the event of incorrect or excessive strain, these tendons can become inflamed, leading to pain in the outer ankle. These occur mainly under load, especially when lifting the inner side of the foot. In the case of a chronic syndrome, they also occur at rest and swelling and redness in the area of the outer ankle can occur.
The treatment of peroneal syndrome is done by relieving the tendon, which is usually done with the help of a splint or bandage. This immobilization allows the tendon to regenerate. In addition, taking pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory medication can be helpful.
An injury to the outer ligament often occurs as a result of a so-called distortion trauma. The foot bends inwards so that the ligament on the outside of the ankle joint is overstretched. This can happen when the foot simply bends over at the kerb or during soccer matches.
Strictly speaking, the outer ligament is not just one ligament, but a construction of several different ligaments with different starting points. These stabilize the ankle joint during movement. In most cases there is only an overstretching of one or more ligaments without further consequences.
If stretched too much, the outer ligament can tear and cause severe pain in the outer ankle. This results in a loss of stability in the ankle joint and patients are often no longer able to put their foot on. Strictly speaking, the outer ligament is not just one ligament, but a construction of several different ligaments with different points of attachment.
These stabilize the ankle joint during movement. In most cases there is only an overstretching of one or more ligaments without further consequences. If stretched too much, the outer ligament can tear and cause severe pain in the outer ankle.
This results in a loss of stability in the ankle joint and patients are often no longer able to put their foot on. If the outer ligament is torn in an accident involving a twist, part of the bone can be torn off as well. This depends on the substance of the bone and ligaments and the dynamics of the accident.
The ligaments on the outer ankle attach to the metatarsal and fibula at different points. If they are overstretched, they can either tear in the middle or tear out at the points where they attach to the bone. This is also the reason why an X-ray of the ankle is often requested to rule out bone splintering.
