Dr. Brandon Nelson, A Board Certified Physician & Surgeon, Discusses Ankle Pain

Ankle pain is a large topic to discuss in a blog but I will focus on two of the most common causes.  The vast majority of ankle pain follows an injury like an ankle sprain or an ankle fracture.  When looking at an ankle sprain the most likely long term causes of pain are soft tissue issues.  When looking at ankle fractures with time bone or joint pathologies can occur.  Let us take a look at a common ankle sprain and what can be the long term results of untreated sprains.

Ankle sprains are one of the most common injuries that occur in the lower extremity.   The vast majority of sprain occurs in an inversion type fashion or a rolling in of one’s foot.  This puts a lot of strain on the ligaments and tendons on the outside of the ankle or the fibular side.  We often see ligament tears or tendon tears that develop. These can lead to pain with activities or with certain movements.  It is important to seek the help of a foot and ankle physician early with ankle sprains.  It is amazing the amount of issues I see that could have been avoided by seeing a physician when the sprain occurred.  It seems that the adage of “PRICE” or protect, rest, ice, compress and elevate just does not provide enough healing for athletes or active patients.

Ankle fracture on the other hand usually does seek medical intervention.  It really depends on the type of fracture some patients will require surgery to realign the bones and some will do find with just a period of non-weight bearing.  Ankle fractures usually have higher trauma velocities and therefore can cause more damage to the bones.  One of the most common long term effects of a fracture can be arthritis.  With fractures you can change the weight distribution in joints and over time this can wear away cartilage.  Having all fractures evaluated by a medical professional with experience in that area is key.

I cannot express the importance of early intervention and seeking the advice of a foot and ankle physician will improve outcomes and long term functionality.  If you have had an injury or are currently injured I can help.

If you are experiencing foot or ankle pain, please give us a call at 425-391-8666 or make an appointment online today. 

Sincelry,

Dr Brandon Nelson