Ankle pain: Symptoms and warning signs

For people who are often active, experiencing injuries or moving too much will lead to an easy condition of ankle pain. Although it is a common symptom, you should not underestimate this problem because it will greatly affect the joints of the legs and walking. Refer to the following article to better understand the causes and symptoms of ankle pain.

What is ankle pain?

Ankle pain is one of the most common manifestations of arthritis. People with ankle pain are often accompanied by the following symptoms:

• Red and swollen ankles;
• Difficulty walking due to pain.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory condition of the joints that causes pain and damage to various joints including the ankle. If the disease is more severe, the large joints will be paralyzed. More severe conditions will cause the joints to lose function completely.

Causes of ankle pain

Most causes of ankle pain stem from the patient's daily activities. So, if you understand what triggers your pain, you'll have more effective prevention and treatment options.

Ankle injuries are one of the most common causes. If you have ankle pain and don't get it treated in time, the joint will lose its ability to move and function. In fact, many patients often underestimate ankle injuries because they think they are minor injuries and can be treated at home. Here are some causes of ankle pain that patients should pay attention to:

• Playing sports: Heavy physical activities can cause pain on the ankle;
• Being overweight or obese puts excess weight on the ankle joint. This condition leads to disease of the ligaments in the ankle and weakens the joint;
• Other disorders, for example, many cases of chronic congestive heart failure cause the feet to swell and change the color of the skin.

Symptoms and signs of ankle pain

Symptoms of swollen feet and ankles will often depend on the cause. Usually, swelling is caused by:

• Fluid retention in the body due to certain diseases;
• Pregnant;
• Side effects of medications;
• Lymphatic occlusion.

Swelling of the feet usually begins in the toes, then spreads to the ankles, usually within a few hours. Some other accompanying signs include:

• When you press your finger on the swollen area, the pressed skin will be indented in the shape of a finger, after a while the skin will return to the same swelling state as before;
• Socks or shoes that leave marks on the skin are the earliest sign of swelling;
• Skin color changes are quite common. The skin turns red. The concave skin is usually darker in color than the surrounding swollen skin. In many cases, you just need to raise your foot above the level of your heart, and after a few hours the swelling will disappear completely;
• Symptoms of gout include redness with pain and a warm feeling in the big toe. Sometimes it can be a symptom of another arthritis;
• Swelling in the feet and ankles during pregnancy (usually after 20 weeks) may be the first symptom noted in women with preeclampsia;

When your ankle hurts, you can't play your favorite sport because the more these activities use the ankle, the more painful it will be for you. In addition, the patient's movement is not as fast and flexible as before.

The pain can alter a person's posture and gait, making it difficult for them to walk to relieve pain. Furthermore, joint pain can spread to other joints in the body such as the knees and hips. So, if you understand the causes and complications of ankle pain, you will appreciate its importance and get timely treatment, which can improve your daily functioning.

When should you see a doctor?

• You have heart or kidney disease and your swollen ankles get worse;
• You have a history of liver disease and suddenly feel pain in your ankle joint;
• Red legs and feet with extensive swelling, which may feel warm to the touch;
• You have a fever;
• You are pregnant and your feet are unusually swollen.

In addition, if self-treatment does not reduce or the swelling of the feet gets worse, you should immediately see a chiropractor for advice and treatment.