The ankle is a complex joint that has many moving parts. The sheer number of parts in your ankle means there are many structures that can be injured. Such injuries can lead to pain and difficulty performing routine daily tasks, and this is particularly true when the injury leads to pain on the top of the ankle. However, it’s harder to find effective treatment for your pain if you don’t know what’s causing it. Here are two conditions that can cause top of ankle pain:
1. Extensor tendinitis
In your ankle, the extensor tendons attach to the muscles on the front of your legs. They then stretch across the top of the foot, and their other end attaches to the bones in your toes. The job of these tendons is to lift the toes, and this movement is vital to normal activities like walking and running.
Extensor tendinitis is a condition that can cause pain at the top of the ankle. This condition occurs when the extensor tendons become torn or inflamed, and it can be caused by several factors. For one thing, repetitive foot and ankle movements can lead to extensor tendinitis, and this means the condition is common in people who run a lot.
Also, poorly fitting shoes can lead to this painful condition. There is very little padding between the skin and the extensor tendons, and shoes that are too tight can easily irritate these tendons. In most cases, the pain of extensor tendinitis tends to get worse with activity, but it can also get better when you rest the ankle.
2. Achilles tendinitis
Another type of tendinitis that can cause top of ankle pain is Achilles tendinitis. This condition affects the Achilles tendon that connects the calf muscle to the heel bone. The most common cause of this issue is repetitive leg movements, but it can also be caused by an impact to the back of the leg. This means that people who play high-impact sports like football, soccer and rugby are more likely to get Achilles tendinitis.
This condition commonly causes pain in the back of the leg and ankle, and it can also lead to ankle stiffness and swelling. One difference between Achilles tendinitis and other ankle issues is that its symptoms tend to be worse when you first wake up in the morning. In many cases, the symptoms of this condition will also commonly decrease once you’re up and moving around.
Peak Performance can help you treat top of ankle pain
Peak Performance has a team that can help you treat many conditions that cause foot and ankle pain. To begin treating your pain, we’ll first perform a free screening. This is designed to help us figure out the cause of your pain, and we’ll use the information we gather to build you a personalized therapy plan. Your plan will typically include multiple therapy techniques, and some techniques that can be used in your plan are:
Take the next step to get our help with your ankle pain. Contact us today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.
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