Ankle pain

There are lots of causes of ankle pain. You can usually ease the pain yourself. But see a GP if the pain does not improve.

How you can ease ankle pain yourself

If you see a GP, they'll usually suggest you try these things:

rest and raise your ankle when you can
put an ice pack (or bag of frozen peas) in a towel on your ankle for up to 20 minutes every 2 to 3 hours
wear wide comfortable shoes with a low heel and soft sole
use soft insoles or heel pads in your shoes
wrap a bandage around your ankle to support it
try regular gentle stretching exercises
take paracetamol

These might be signs of a broken ankle.

Ankle pain is often caused by exercising too much or wearing shoes that are too tight.

Your symptoms might also give you an idea of what's causing your ankle pain.


Symptoms	Possible cause
Pain, swelling, bruising, started after intense or repetitive exercise	sprained ankle
Pain in ankle and heel, pain in calf when standing on tiptoes	Achilles tendonitis
Redness and swelling, dull aching pain	bursitis
Sudden sharp pain, swelling, a popping or snapping sound during the injury, difficulty walking, ankle at odd angle	broken ankle

Do not worry if you're not sure what the problem is.

Follow the advice on this page and see a GP if the pain does not get better in 2 weeks.

Tags: