Ankle pain

The most common cause of pain in this area of the foot are sprains. You will typically experience an ankle sprain as a sharp pain in the upper part of your foot when you move it in certain ways, and your foot will often swell and discolor.

Find the right program for you

Why does it hurt?

Ankle sprains occur when you twist your ankle, i.e. when you overstrain the ligaments on the outside or inside side of your ankle. Poor balance increases your risk of sustaining an ankle sprain. Other common causes are:

  1. Acute injury: Your ankle is damaged due to a sudden and overwhelming strain.

  2. You twist your ankle, typically during a quick change of direction or while running.

Pain is the body’s way of telling you to ease the strain on your ankle. Two things are critical in treating your pain:

  • In the first two days, combine rest and the application of ice with a tight compression, like an elastic bandage, around your ankle. You also need to raise your ankle over the level of your heart, for instance by lying down on your back with your foot on a propped-up pillow. This is called the RICE treatment (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation).

  • After two days, start performing mobility exercises with your ankle. Later, balance and strength exercises will help bring your ankle back to normal.

How Injurymap treats your ankle pain

If you do not rehabilitate your ankle, there’s a high chance you’ll sprain it again in the future. Injurymap’s program for ankle pain consists of exercises that stimulate and help rehabilitate the damaged tissue. The first exercises focus on light mobility, which will prepare you for the stability and strength exercises that will return your shoulder to normal functioning. Stretching exercises are also a part of the program, and they will help ensure your continued mobility and help you avoid future injuries.

Diagnoses

Exercises for Ankle pain

  1. Ankle tilt
    10 reps

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    • Sit on a chair.
    • Lift one leg slightly up in the air.
    • Slowly rotate the foot so that the sole of the foot rotates outwards.
    • Then rotate the foot to make the sole of your foot point inwards.
    • Be sure to rotate as far as possible.
    • Repeat the movement 10 times in each direction with each foot.
  2. Standing knee bend I
    10 reps

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    • Stand up with your feet on a straight line with the sick foot in front.
    • Your toes should point straight ahead.
    • Slowly move your knee past the toes so that your ankle and knee bends.
    • Move the knees forward as far as possible, so that the ankle is bent to a maximum.
    • You should feel it tightening in the back and front of the ankle, but it should not hurt.
    • Keep a relatively slow pace.
    • Perform 10 repetitions.
  3. Ankle balance on uneven surface
    60 sec.

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    • Stand with both legs on a balance pad, balance board or a hard sofa pad.
    • Keep your knees slightly bent.
    • Hold your balance and see if you can move your weight back and forth from left to right.
    • Keep the balance for approximately 1 min.

Treat your pain with Injurymap

Download the app to get a customized program that addresses your specific pain with exercises.