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Ankle Pain Specialist

Cortez Foot & Ankle Specialists

Podiatry & Foot and Ankle Specialists located in Bradenton, FL & Sarasota, University Park, FL, & Ellenton, FL

Ankle pain can indicate a problem with the soft tissue or bones in the joint. The caring podiatric team at Cortez Foot & Ankle Specialists diagnoses the cause of your ankle pain and provides the most up-to-date treatment available. Call the Cortez Foot & Ankle Specialists offices in Bradenton, University Park, or Ellenton, Florida, today or request an appointment online.

Ankle Pain Q & A

When should I see a doctor about ankle pain?

An occasional twinge in the ankle joint is normal. But if you have pain that doesn’t get better with rest and at-home treatments like icing and over-the-counter pain medications, make an appointment at Cortez Foot & Ankle Specialists.

The team offers professional diagnosis through imaging tests like X-rays, ultrasound, and MRI. They develop treatment plans that include physical therapy, laser, injections, and even surgery if your condition needs it.

What are the possible causes of ankle pain?

Ankle pain can be caused by an injury to the soft tissue or bones. The possible causes include:

Sprained ankle

A sprained ankle results when your joint rolls sideways, damaging the ligaments that hold your ankle bones together.

Arthritis

Rheumatoid and osteoarthritis are the most common arthritic conditions that affect the joints. These diseases cause your ankle to feel stiff, achy, painful, and swollen due to the breakdown of the connective tissue.

Achilles tendinitis

Repeated stress causes tiny tears in the Achilles tendon, which attaches your calf muscle to your heel. Pain is most noticeable after exercise or when you first step out of bed in the morning.

Bursitis

The bursae are fluid-filled sacs that pad the space between tendons and bones. You have two of them in your ankle. If they become inflamed or irritated from overuse, wearing high-heeled shoes, or abrupt changes in the intensity and duration of workouts, you experience pain, swelling, and stiffness.

Fracture

When one of the three bones in your ankle cracks or breaks, you will experience considerable ankle pain. You might be able to walk on a broken ankle, but the pain will be severe.

Flat feet

If the arch of your foot is too low because of genetics, wear-and-tear, or injury, your ankle can move out of alignment, causing pain when you walk or exercise.

Chronic ankle instability

Chronic pain and instability in your ankle joint can happen after repeated injury to your ankle, especially if you fail to let these injuries heal fully. Usually, overstretched or torn ankle tendons and ligaments are to blame.

How is ankle pain treated?

How your ankle pain is treated will depend on what’s causing it. A soft-tissue problem, like Achilles tendinitis, chronic ankle instability, or bursitis can benefit from rest, physical therapy, and laser treatments. Flat feet can be corrected with custom-molded orthotics.

Fractures can be set, but some will require surgery, especially if the bones are pushed out of place. Arthritis is often treated with physical therapy and medications but can require more invasive treatments once conservative efforts don’t work. 

If you’re suffering from ankle pain, call the office of Cortez Foot & Ankle Specialists nearest you today to set up your appointment. You can also use the online booking tool to make your appointment.