If you sprain your ankle or are stepped on during athletic competition, although you may not know the extent of your injuries, the underlying cause is pretty obvious. In most instances the cause of injury is pretty evident, but what happens when the cause isn’t obvious? If you have developed sudden foot or ankle pain without an obvious cause, you’ll want to keep reading today’s blog.
Causes Of Sudden Ankle Pain Without Injury
If you can’t figure out what’s causing your sudden ankle pain, it’s probably a good idea to connect with a foot and ankle specialist in order to get to the bottom of your discomfort. They’ll be able to ask you about your symptoms, conduct a physical exam and even take images of the foot to get a better understanding of what’s going on in the area. If you have sudden foot pain without injury, oftentimes their investigation leads to a diagnosis of one of the following issues:
Osteoarthritis – Osteoarthritis is a degenerative condition that involves a breakdown of the protective cartilage that helps to facilitate comfortable movement. When this cartilage wears down, oftentimes as a result of natural aging or injury, it can lead to bone on bone contact. It can be extremely uncomfortable and even downright painful if your bones are rubbing against one another when you’re walking, so there’s a possibility that osteoarthritis is at the root of your sudden pain without injury.
Rheumatoid Arthritis – In patients with rheumatoid arthritis, their body mistakenly attacks their own joints, leading to uncomfortable inflammation in the joints. An RA attack can lead to a sudden onset of pain in your joints, and it may be more noticeable after activity, so let your doctor know if your joints tend to ache after exercise or athletic activity.
Achilles Tendinitis – Achilles tendinitis is another condition that could be at the root of your ankle discomfort without obvious injury. Repetitive strain and overuse can lead to microtears in the tendon and inflammation. You may notice some pain and tenderness on the backside of your heel, especially if you recently had a significant increase in physical activity. It’s common in runners who increase their distance or duration at too quick of a rate.
Treating Foot Pain Without An Obvious Cause Of Injury
While the cause of injury may not be obvious to you in the moment, as we just described above, oftentimes the underlying cause of injury becomes evident after a consultation with a foot specialist. Once you’ve been officially diagnosed, your doctor will be able to set you up with an individualized treatment plan. Your treatment plan will be based on the specific issue you are dealing with, but oftentimes conservative options are attempted first. Some of the most common treatments that are used in combination with one another are:
- Rest
- Ice/Heat
- Low-Impact Exercise
- Weight Loss
- Physical Therapy
If weeks of treatment fails to lead to improvement, more hands-on treatment may be recommended. Corticosteroid injections or even a minimally invasive corrective procedure may be in your future if non-operative methods don’t provide relief.