Ankle pain

Definition

Ankle pain involves any discomfort in one or both ankles.

Alternative Names

Pain - ankle

Causes

Ankle pain is often due to an ankle sprain.

In addition to ankle sprains, ankle pain can be caused by:

Problems in areas near the ankle that can cause you to feel pain in the ankle include:

Home Care

Home care for ankle pain depends on the cause and what other treatment or surgery has taken place. You may be asked to:

As the swelling and pain improve, you may still need to keep extra weight and stress off your ankle for a period of time.

The injury may take a few weeks to many months to fully heal. Once the pain and swelling are mostly gone, the injured ankle will still be a little weaker and less stable than the uninjured ankle.

Other advice your health care provider may give you include:

When to Contact a Medical Professional

Go to the hospital if:

Contact your provider if:

References

Chiodo CP, Price MD, Sangeorzan AP. Foot and ankle pain. In: Firestein GS, Budd RC, Gabriel SE, Koretzsky GA, McInnes IB, O'Dell JR, eds. Firestein and Kelly's Textbook of Rheumatology. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 52.

Irwin TA. Tendon injuries of the foot and ankle. In: Miller MD, Thompson SR, eds. DeLee, Drez, & Miller's Orthopaedic Sports Medicine. 5th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 118.

Osborne MD, Esser SM. Chronic ankle instability. In: Frontera WR, Silver JK, Rizzo TD, eds. Essentials of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. 4th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2019:chap 85.

Rose NGW, Green TJ. Ankle and foot injuries. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 49.

Rothenburg P, Swanton E, Molloy A, Aiyer AA, Kaplan AR. Ligamentous injuries of the foot and ankle. In: Miller MD, Thompson SR, eds. DeLee, Drez, & Miller's Orthopaedic Sports Medicine. 5th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 117.


Review Date: 4/24/2023
Reviewed By: C. Benjamin Ma, MD, Professor, Chief, Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service, UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, San Francisco, CA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
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