If you sustain an injury or have a certain type of disease, you can develop mild to severe pain within your ankle or foot. Such symptoms can typically be managed through the use of analgesic or disease-specific medication. If you develop sudden or unexplained pain within your ankle or foot, speak with your doctor for further evaluation and care.
Sprain
The ligaments within your feet and ankles act as a support structure to hold your bones and joints in place. Though ligaments can bend and flex to some degree, abnormal stretching of the ligaments can cause a sprain. Every day, an estimated 25,000 people experience a sprained ankle, report health professionals at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. A sprain can cause symptoms of pain and instability to develop within your ankle and foot.
Achilles Tendinitis
Recurrent or increased use of your feet and ankles can cause inflammation within the tendon that joins your calf muscle to your heel bone (Achilles tendon). If this occurs, you can develop a condition called Achilles tendinitis. Symptoms of Achilles tendinitis include tenderness, stiffness, swelling or pain---especially when lifting your body up on your toes or pushing your foot off of the ground while walking or running.
Fracture or Dislocation
An impact injury or abnormal rotation of the ankle or foot can cause a fracture or dislocation to occur. If the bones within the foot or ankle are damaged or broken into pieces, you have sustained a fracture. An ankle dislocation occurs when the bones within the foot come out of place but remain intact and undamaged. Symptoms of fracture or dislocation of the foot or ankle include pain, swelling, bruising and decreased movement.
Plantar Fasciitis
Inflammation of the fascia---a piece of fibrous tissue that links your heel bone to the bottom of your toes---can cause you to develop plantar fasciitis. This condition is common among people who stand or walk on hard surfaces for prolonged periods of time during work or exercise. Initial symptoms of this condition include mild to moderate pain at the base of the heel. If left untreated, pain within the ankle and foot can become chronic and may severely interfere with your ability to walk normally.
Diabetic Neuropathy
Individuals with diabetes are at an increased risk of developing nerve damage---especially in the feet. If you have diabetes, you can experience pain within the feet or ankles due to damaged nerves caused by poor blood circulation through the blood vessels of the feet. As this condition progresses, you can experience numbness, swelling or tingling within the feet.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder that causes severe inflammation within the joints throughout the body. If you have this medical condition, you can develop mild to severe pain within your ankle joint, which can have a significant impact on your ability to walk normally.
