Your ankle joints contain many tissues, including muscles, ligaments, and tendons. If a tendon in your ankle gets inflamed, the result is a condition called tendonitis, which can be very painful.
Robert Douglas Bostick III, MD, of Metairie Orthopedics & Sports Medicine in Metairie, Louisiana, is an expert in treating tendonitis. In this blog, he explains more about what tendonitis is, how you can treat it at home, and how you can tell if you need to make an appointment with a professional.
Tendons are thick tissues that attach your muscles to your bones throughout your body. Tendonitis is a condition in which a tendon gets irritated or inflamed. So with ankle tendonitis, a tendon in your ankle gets irritated or inflamed, which can cause a number of symptoms, such as the following:
In general, symptoms often increase with movement and lessen or go away with rest. Overuse is usually the biggest culprit behind tendonitis. Other causes can include joint trauma, problems with foot structure, and certain medical conditions.
If you have tendonitis, there are a number of things you can do to help manage the pain, such as the following:
If you’re suffering a tendonitis flare-up, the best thing you can do is rest your ankle for a few days.
Swelling is one of the characteristics of tendonitis that makes it so uncomfortable. Elevating your ankle while you're sitting can help reduce the swelling and pain.
Ice therapy can help reduce pain and swelling during a flare-up. Never put the ice pack directly on your skin. Instead, wrap it in a towel and place it on the affected ankle for 15-20 minutes every 4-6 hours.
Taking over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications may help reduce or eliminate the pain of a tendonitis flare-up.
Tendonitis often goes away with rest and at-home care. However, if your symptoms don’t improve in a few days, or your symptoms get worse, or you develop additional symptoms, you should seek treatment. Another reason to seek professional treatment is if your pain keeps you awake at night or disrupts your life.
At your appointment, Dr. Bostick evaluates your ankle to determine if tendonitis is the cause of your discomfort. If it is, Dr. Bostick can provide several treatment options, such as the following:
If these treatments don't work, Dr. Bostick might recommend regenerative medicine, such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy. Furthermore, Dr. Bostick may recommend lifestyle changes and activity modifications to help you avoid tendonitis in the future.
If you're suffering from pain in your ankles, we can help you get relief. To learn more, call 504-541-5800 or book an appointment online with Metairie Orthopedics & Sports Medicine today.
