The ankle or ankle is perhaps the most mobile part of the leg. Her bones, ligaments and muscles are actively involved when walking and running. It is not surprising that in the event of any pathology, a person experiences discomfort with any movement, which significantly worsens his daily life. If your leg is swollen in the ankle area and it hurts, what should you do and why do such symptoms occur?
Why do my feet swell at the ankles? Swelling and pain in the leg near the ankle can have different causes. Since this part of the body is actively involved in walking and running, ankle injuries often occur. It is not surprising that people who lead an active lifestyle and play sports often suffer from this.
In addition, it happens that the ankle hurts and swells, if you spend the whole day on your feet, banal fatigue takes its toll. The situation is aggravated when a person, and more often this concerns women, wears uncomfortable shoes. Shoes that compress the foot completely or only in the toes, with an uncomfortable instep, and even more so with high heels, will certainly cause the ankle to hurt and swell. In addition, it may even be painful to step on your foot, and your limbs may feel like they’re numb. These symptoms appear in the afternoon. And at night, the muscles of a tired leg can cramp.
In general, this condition is not dangerous. However, we should not forget that constantly wearing tight shoes impairs blood circulation in the feet, and this can lead to a number of unpleasant pathologies. If you often walk in stiletto heels, there is a risk of causing irreversible deformities such as transverse flat feet or the formation of a bump at the base of the first toe. In addition, a high arch of the foot is very unstable and can lead to injuries such as sprains and dislocations.
If your leg is swollen and painful, any of the injuries could be the cause. As a rule, you can get them when doing active sports, for example, while running, skating and skiing, during a parachute jump, as well as when falling, for example, on ice in winter.
The most minor of these injuries is a bruise. With it, the damaged area swells a little, redness appears, and then a hematoma. However, when it comes to the ankle specifically, a sprained or torn ligament is much more common. The thing is that the joint in this place experiences a very large load, especially during sports. Therefore, if you move incorrectly, it is easy to get such damage. Symptoms may include:
In addition, dislocation in the ankle area is also common. It is characterized by joint deformation, swelling, and the inability to stand on the leg due to pain. When an injury occurs, a characteristic clicking sound can be heard as the bone is pushed out of the joint.
The most serious injury to the ankle is undoubtedly a fracture. A sharp pain is felt both when trying to move the limb and during palpation. The ankle swells, a blue-violet hematoma appears, and sometimes a crunching sound can be heard. To determine the nature of the injury, you need to contact a traumatologist and take an x-ray.
If an elderly person has a swollen ankle and it hurts to step on the foot, it is quite possible to assume a disease such as arthritis of the joint. It is characterized by:
Arthritis can affect one joint or both joints at the same time. This disease requires mandatory treatment. In its absence, after a few years the articular cartilage may completely collapse.
If your ankle or foot is swollen and your joints are very painful, and these symptoms appear unexpectedly, often at night, the development of gout cannot be ruled out. This disease is characterized by the deposition of uric acid salts in the joints, which occurs due to metabolic disorders. Most often, the disease affects the big toes, however, in some cases, the ankle, elbow, knee joints or fingers may become inflamed.
The lower part of the leg, particularly the shin and ankle, can become swollen as a result of varicose veins. This disease leads to irreversible dilation of the veins, thinning of the venous wall and the formation of nodules. At the same time, at the initial stage of the disease, a person may feel heaviness and fatigue in the legs, especially towards the end of the day, the ankles become swollen. Later, a small venous network appears, and then dark blue dilated veins begin to protrude. This is all accompanied by aching pain, a feeling of heat and night cramps.
If your ankle is swollen and it hurts to walk, but the other leg remains unchanged, thrombophlebitis is quite possible. This disease is an inflammation of the walls of the veins, accompanied by the appearance of a blood clot. More often, women over the age of 40 are susceptible to this disease. The following symptoms can be identified:
If swelling appears in the leg, another cause may be an allergic reaction. Most often, this condition is observed in the summer after an insect bite (bees, wasps, mosquitoes, fleas, etc.) or upon contact with certain plants (hogweed, nettle). In addition to swelling of the ankle, there is itching, redness, sometimes a rash and mild pain.
Another possible allergen can be some medications, which also cause swelling of the extremities. In particular, these include various hormonal drugs, for example, birth control pills.
Swelling and other unpleasant sensations in the legs cannot be ignored. But if the diseases that caused them need to be treated only with the help of a specialist, then in the case of an incorrect lifestyle, you need to take some measures yourself. It is important to know if your ankle is swollen and hurts, what you can do and what you can’t do.
If you are suffering from swelling and pain in your ankles, there are several rules that you can follow to alleviate the condition:
What to do at home to relieve swelling of the ankles? Some folk recipes, in particular diuretics, can help get rid of this symptom.
The simplest diuretic can be considered a mixture of freshly squeezed juices of lemon, cucumber and carrots in equal proportions. The drink can be diluted with water and taken three times a day.
Flax infusion has proven itself well. To prepare it, 1 tbsp. l. seeds need to be poured with a liter of boiling water and boiled for 15 minutes. Let it brew for an hour and take 100 ml. 6-8 times a day.
To prepare a mint drink, you need to pour 30 g of mint with a liter of boiling water and leave for 1-2 hours. Drink in small portions at least three times a day.
What to do if your ankle is swollen and painful as a result of an injury? Before contacting a traumatologist, it is necessary to provide first aid to the victim. Actions taken in the first minutes after the injury are precisely aimed at relieving pain and swelling.
First, you need to provide the injured limb with complete rest. Try not to move your ankle, much less walk. It would be better to place it on a hill, for example, on a pillow or bolster.
Next, you need to apply a cold compress. This can be ice wrapped in a soft cloth, ice water in a heating pad or bottle, or any frozen product. This will dull the pain and relieve swelling.
In case of severe injury, such as a dislocation or fracture, the limb should be immobilized using a splint. An open wound requires disinfection with an antiseptic and the mandatory application of a sterile bandage to avoid infection.
There can be many reasons for swelling and pain in the ankles. If these symptoms occur regularly, you should consult a specialist who will identify the disease and prescribe effective treatment. When an incorrect lifestyle is to blame, you can independently take some measures to relieve swelling of the extremities. It is important to know if your leg suddenly swells in the ankle area and it hurts, what to do and how to reduce the discomfort. Be that as it may, such symptoms should not be ignored. Take care of yourself and be healthy!