Pain in the ankle joint

Pain between the transition from the lower leg to the foot is called ankle pain. This is often described as ankle pain. Furthermore, the ankle joint is divided into an upper and a lower one.

Therefore it must be differentiated at which part of the ankle joint the pain occurs. At the ankle joint itself, the pain can originate from the bone itself or from the surrounding ligaments and tendons. Pain is generally divided into acute and chronic pain, including pain in the ankle.

Acute pain occurs suddenly and can be triggered by a short-term overload. As a rule, the acute pain usually goes away after a certain period of rest. In contrast, chronic pain occurs over a longer period of time. They are defined as pain that lasts longer than six months. Chronic pain in the ankle joint is rather rare, as pain usually occurs as a result of trauma or injury.

Causes

Pain in the ankle joint, both upper and lower, can have many different causes and are manifold. The most common reasons for pain are injuries or overloading. The ankle joint is put under a lot of stress, especially in sports that require fast and abrupt movements, such as volleyball, basketball, soccer, field hockey, handball and tennis.

Running and jumping movements can quickly lead to bone fractures or even injuries to the soft tissues. Painful overstretching of the ligaments is particularly common. These injuries can also occur in everyday life through simple twisting.

This can lead to torn or strained ligaments. Furthermore, old injuries can also lead to new pain. Also incorrectly treated ligament injuries or old fractures in the ankle joint can cause pain.

Congenital or acquired malpositions, which can be caused, for example, by frequent wearing of high shoes, can also lead to complaints in the ankle. Malalignments in the joint lead to incorrect loading of the structures involved in the joint. This in turn leads to faster wear and tear of the joint surfaces or even to injuries, which in turn trigger pain.

Other possible causes can be underlying arthrosis or arthritis in the joint. Osteoarthritis refers to wear and tear of the joint. Arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the joints.

It occurs in relapses and can affect different and several joints of the body. In the joints themselves, the protective cartilage surface is largely worn away, so that the bones rub against each other. This can occur as a result of an injury. The wear and tear on the joints continues to progress. Patients often experience pain, not only under stress but also at rest.