Ankle pain without Injury: Cause, Symptoms, Treatment, Exercise

Ankle pain without Injury

If you have Sudden Ankle pain without injury, there may too many cause of this pain and symptoms are vary according to conditions. Treatment of Ankle pain is also depends upon cause, symptoms and diagnosis of Ankle pain.

In this article we discuss what are the possible cause of Ankle pain without Injury and symptoms. we also discuss how to diagnose ankle pain, Medical treatment and Physiotherapy exercise.

What are the causes of Ankle pain without injury?

There are too many causes of Ankle pain still if you are not injured, few most common cause of Ankle pain are:

• Overuse of Ankle joint- continuous work load mainly farmers and laborers require 8 to 10 hours work in standing and walking position, these may lead to pressure on the joint and causes pain
• osteoarthritis of Ankle joint: These are other cause of Ankle pain in which age related wear and tear of the Ankle joint may leads to damaged to joint surface.
• Bursitis: Bursae (Fluid-filled sacs) arount the joint which provides cushion to your bones when they move. When bursae become irritated and inflamed called Bursitis.
• Tendonitis: Muscle's tendon become irritated, inflamed called tendonitis. These tendons connect muscles to bones. Continuous workload may lead stress on the muscle's tendon such as Achilles tendinitis.
• Plantar fasciitis causes pain in the bottom of the heel. The plantar fascia is a thin ligament that connects your heel to the front of your foot. It supports the arch in your foot and is important in helping you walk.
• Flatfoot: When your arch is not properly develop from birth called congenital flatfoot which may lead to pain and swelling in the ankles and feet.
• Gout: When uric acid increases in your body, causes multiple joint pain including Ankle joint. These uric acid created crystals which are deposited in the joint and causes joint pain, swelling and also restrict the movement most affect both the Ankles.

What are the signs and symptoms of ankle pain without injury?

• Ankle pain with swelling
• Bruising
• Redness
• Numbness or tingling
• Instability
• Ankle Joint Pain
• Inability to bear weight on the affected ankle
• Ankle joint Stiffness
• Weakness
• Discoloration
• Warmth
• Tenderness
• Difficulty in walking

Diagnosis Ankle pain without Injury:

During a physical examination, the Physiotherapist will examine the patient’s ankle, foot, and lower limb. The doctor will also check the area of skin around the injury for proper points of tenderness and move the patient’s Ankle to check the range of motion and to know what positions cause discomfort or pain. 

Following are the imaging study also helpful for differential diagnosis of Ankle pain:

X-ray: X-Ray is mainly helpful if any arthritis changes are seen in the joint.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): If x-ray is not helpful then further investigation Doctor recommend you MRI which uses radio waves & a strong magnetic field to produce detailed cross-sectional or 3-D images of the soft internal tissue of the ankle, with ligaments.

CT scan: If Doctor can get more detail view regarding the bones of the joint. CT scan takes too X-rays from many variant angles and mixes them to make cross-sectional or 3-D images.

Ultrasound: An ultrasound uses sound waves to produce images. These images may help doctors find the condition of a ligament/tendon when the foot is in a different position.

Treatment of Ankle pain without injury:

Medical treatment:

Mostly your Doctor prescribes you pain relieving medicine mostly NSAIDs are most common such as Diclofenac, Aceclefenac are enough to manage the ankle pain with Pain relieving gel and patches.

Home remedies for Ankle pain you can do is mainly use of Hot Packs- Cold Packs that helps to relieve pain and swelling naturally.

Physiotherapy treatment:

Physiotherapy treatment are mostly depends upon cause, symptoms and diagnosis of your Ankle pain. Most commoly Physiotherapy treatment in Ankle pain are pain relieving Electrotherapy modalities and Exercise.

Electrotherapy treatment:

There are various electro. modalities are uses to relive pain, swelling mainly in ankle pain three modalities would be beneficial which are describe below:

Ultrasound: Ultrasound is usually apply on tender point to relieve of pain.

TENS (Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation): TENS modality is mainly for reduction of pain, swelling.

IFT (Interferential Therapy ): If patient have any type of swelling, pain, inflammation ,IFT would be most effective modality.

Exercises for Ankle pain:

Regular exercise must help the patient to relieve pain and strengthen weak muscles.

Stretching exercise:

Achilles tendon & plantar fascia stretch:

To do this exercise, you can loop a towel around the ball of your foot & pull it back towards your body with a straight knee. Hold for 10 to 20 seconds for each foot and do it 3 times.

Sitting plantar fascia stretch:

To do this exercise you should cross your foot over the opposite knee. The base of the toes is put on the ground & gently pull back until you feel a stretch along the innerside of your foot. Hold for 10 to 30 seconds per repetition. Repeat 3 times on each foot.

Plantar fascia stretch:

To do this exercise you should put a towel on the floor in front of your chair, with the heels which are on the ground, try to pick up the towel by grabbing it with your toes, this exercise Repeat 10-15 times with 2 times a day.

Standing calf stretch:

To do this exercise, you must stand facing a wall then place both hands on the wall which is in front of you. Put one foot forward to the other with the front foot about 30cm away from the wall, keep the other knee straight with keep your back heel flat on the floor. Gradually bend the front knee until you feel gentle stretch in the calf of the back lower leg. Relax and repeat 8 to 10 times. This exercise may also be done with the back knee slightly bent for a milder stretch.

Deep calf stretch:

To do this exercise you must stand on a step with the heel hanging off the edge. Your may also allow holding onto something for support. You should gradually drop heel towards the floor and feel a stretch in the calf muscles & Achilles tendon. Hold this for 10 to 30 seconds. Repeat this exercise 2-3 times.