Why is my ankle pain not improving?
None of us like to face the prospect of ongoing pain, and when your ankle keeps hurting despite your home care, it’s time to get help. You may have been thinking it is sprained, or that you’ve been lacing your shoes too tightly, but if you have pain on the top of your foot near your leg, the problem could be related to tarsal coalition.
This condition usually affects three of your tarsal bones (heel, talus, and navicular). A genetic mutation can cause them to be joined with extra bone or tissue and may lead to stiffness and pain near the ankle. If home remedies like rest, icing and stretching don’t help your discomfort, come in and let us find out what is going on. With a correct diagnosis, we can find the right treatment for you—whether that is orthotics, physical therapy, or possibly surgery if other methods don’t work.
Call Rocky Mountain Foot & Ankle Center in Wheat Ridge or Golden, CO, at (303) 423-2520 for an appointment, or request one online, and put an end to your ankle pain.
What do I do if I sprain my ankle?
First aid for an ankle sprain starts by getting off your injured joint. Use someone’s arm, railings, whatever is handy to hobble over to a place to sit. Then, evaluate the injury.
Does your ankle look a funny shape or is the skin broken? Numb feet? Blue or cold toes? Can’t stand any weight on it? You should get medical help right away for these symptoms. Otherwise, go home and start the following treatment:
Locate a pair of crutches or a cane so you can avoid putting weight on the injured ankle. Use Rest-Ice-Compression-Elevation (RICE) therapy to keep the swelling down and reduce your pain. Use any medication we prescribe for pain and swelling. Then, phone us to set up an appointment so we can X-ray the ankle for fractures or provide splints, boots, or taping to immobilize it during healing.
If you follow these steps, the pain should begin to subside in a day or two. We will tell you when it’s safe to return to weight-bearing and help you recondition the ankle to avoid re-injury. Call Rocky Mountain Foot & Ankle Center in Colorado today at (303) 423-2520 for more information.
What’s the difference between a sprain and fracture?
There are a few clues that may help you decide on a sprain vs. fracture when you injure your ankle. Pain severity may not help, because sprains, strains, and fractures can all hurt quite badly. However, soft tissue damage should start feeling better in a day or two, while a broken bone will still hurt or get worse.
If it’s a break, your ankle may look out of position, or part of a bone could pierce the skin. If this is the case, seek medical help immediately. The Ottawa Ankle Rules say if there is tenderness when you press on either the tibia or fibula a couple of inches from the bottom, the bone may be broken. The other rule says you won’t be able to bear weight on the leg, even to limp around. Although these rules are a good guideline, they don’t necessarily apply to high end athletes or people with a high pain tolerance. We’ve actually had elite athletes walk in on an ankle fracture, with barely a limp!
Any of these symptoms mean you need an X-ray to determine if the ankle is fractured. Numbness in the foot, a feeling of weakness, or blue or cold skin also could be signs of a serious issue, so don’t delay getting help. Call (303) 423-2520 to make an appointment at Rocky Mountain Foot & Ankle Center in Wheat Ridge, Golden, Evergreen, or Granby, CO, right away.
