Learning About Foot Care Methods and Podiatrist Treatments

Foot and ankle injuries are fairly common, especially if you run or play sports. Medical conditions such as arthritis can also cause problems with your ankle. You can often treat ankle pain at home, but sometimes, seeing a podiatrist is best. Here are some things that cause ankle pain, when you should see an ankle doctor, and what kind of treatments you may need.

Causes Of Pain In Your Ankle

Your ankle has ligaments, tendons, and joints that can be injured or diseased. A sprain is a common ankle injury that injures a ligament. Tendonitis is inflammation of a tendon in your ankle. Your ankle joint can deteriorate due to osteoarthritis. The pain might be sudden due to twisting your ankle, or it could be chronic.

Ankle pain could also be caused by having flat arches, wearing shoes that don't support your feet, or having a gait abnormality when you run or walk. Finding the cause of your pain helps your podiatrist understand the best way to treat it.

Signs You Should See A Podiatrist About Pain

If you have a fever and your ankle skin looks red, you might have an infection and need to see a doctor. Also, if the pain is severe or your foot looks very swollen or twisted, you should get medical help. In addition, if chronic pain persists and your home remedies don't seem to help, then it's time to see a podiatrist about the cause of and treatment for your chronic pain.

Ways To Treat Ankle Pain

Home treatments to try include rest, ice, wrapping your ankle, and elevating it to reduce swelling. You might try these yourself to see if your symptoms improve, or your podiatrist might recommend these treatments once you go home from the office visit.

Physical therapy might also help, especially if you play sports and need your ankle to heal correctly and quickly. Your podiatrist might even show you exercises to do at home if you're not sent to physical therapy. For cases of severe pain, the ankle doctor might inject a corticosteroid into your ankle to decrease inflammation and help with the pain.

Additionally, a podiatrist can check your gait and shoes. If necessary, they can make custom orthotics that support your arches and ankles. In some cases, ankle surgery might be needed to repair tissues or a joint. You might require an ankle replacement if your joint has deteriorated due to arthritis.

Treatment for your ankle pain will depend on the cause since a chronic medical condition may require a different approach for pain relief when compared to recovering from an acute injury.