Ankle Pain

Ankle pain is a common issue for runners. Every step you take puts weight and pressure on your ankles. Over time, this constant pounding can lead to injury and pain.

In a 2008 study published in the American College of Sports Medicine’s Health and Fitness Journal, the average runner takes 1,700 steps per mile when running at a pace of 10 minutes per mile (6 miles per hour).

sprain

Causes of Ankle Pain

The cause of pain varies by individual. And it can happen for a variety of reasons. The most common causes are injury, arthritis, and normal wear and tear. Sometimes this pain is exacerbated by running.

Ankle Pain from Running

Of all the common running injuries, ankle pain can be particularly brutal. Not only do these injuries cut your training routine short, but they also affect your daily life. But it doesn’t have to be that way. There are plenty of ways to prevent and treat your pain so you can get off the couch and back on the road.

Did you know your foot has 26 bones, 33 joints, and hundreds of muscles and tendons? That’s a lot of moving parts in your foot. Which makes it difficult to pinpoint where the pain is coming from. Sometimes serious issues can be confused for other things like foot cramps. Having an understanding and knowing the symptoms is even more important when diagnosing an ankle injury.

injury symptoms

Ankle Injury Symptoms

When you experience pain that is persistent, you may have an injury.

Here are some common symptoms of an ankle injury.

  1. Sharp, shooting pain in the front, back, inside, or outside of the ankle
  2. Dull, pain in the ankle
  3. Constant ankle pain
  4. Pinching sensations
  5. Tenderness
  6. Bruising
  7. Stiffness in the joint
  8. Soreness in the ankle joint
  9. Lack of motion
  10. Inability to run or walk or run

If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms or are concerned about your injury from running, you should get it professionally checked out by your physician.

common pain

Common Ankle Injuries

Ankle Sprain

One of the most common reasons for pain is an ankle sprain.

What is an ankle sprain?

If you experience pain, swelling, bruising, or limited movement in your ankle, you may have a sprained ankle.

An ankle sprain is a stretched or torn ligament.

For more information about ankle sprain read the full article

Ankle Strain

If you have pain, cramps, spasms, swelling, and/or pain or difficulty moving your ankle, you may have an ankle strain.

A strain is stretched or torn tendon.

ankle pain

What’s the difference between an ankle sprain and an ankle strain?

An ankle strain is overexertion or overstretching of a muscle or tendon, the connective tissue that attaches muscle to bone. A sprain occurs by overstretching or tearing a ligament, the tissue that connects bone to bone.

Ankle Pain Stress Fracture

Ankle stress fractures are tiny cracks in the bone that are typically caused by constant, repetitive force, and overuse. As is typical for people who run on the road. Stress fractures are common in runners, especially when increasing mileage as part of a long-term training program.

How ankle stress fractures are caused

Chubby runners may get a stress fracture in their ankle if they do the following:

Increase mileage quickly

Run more miles than usual

Switch running surfaces (from treadmill to road)

Neglecting muscle building exercises

Lack of Vitamin D and Calcium

vitamins and supplements
For more information on vitamins,
check out the Vitamins and Supplement Guide.

Symptoms of an ankle stress fracture

If you experience these symptoms, you may have a stress fracture.

Bruising

Swelling

Increased pain over time

Tendonitis

Ankle tendonitis is inflammation or irritation of the tendons in the ankle. It is caused by the following:

Foot Issues – Low arches, or flat feet can cause tendonitis.

Improper Shoes – Wearing the wrong shoe can lead to many different issues.

Overuse – Running too long or too far can lead to tendonitis in the ankle.

Repetition – Running on the same surface without variety.

Common symptoms of ankle tendonitis

Runners that have discomfort or pain with the following symptoms may have tendonitis in the ankle. For an expert opinion, see your doctor.

Ankle Swelling

Tenderness in the ankle

Dull pain when moving the ankle