If you suddenly feel pain in your ankle, you may believe that you’ve injured your ankle in some way. However, there are actually several issues that can cause sudden ankle pain without any injury at all. Physical therapy can often be used to treat injuries and other issues that cause ankle pain. In fact, there are three sources of this type of ankle pain that a physical therapist can help you treat. 

• Osteoarthritis — Osteoarthritis could be the cause of sudden ankle pain without injury. Osteoarthritis causes the cartilage between your joints to become weaker, which leads to uncomfortable swelling, inflammation and pain. Our cartilage becomes weaker as we age, so adults over the age of 65 are especially susceptible to developing osteoarthritis. You might also find that the muscles around your ankle become weaker over time, and it may feel painful to walk or put weight on your ankle.
• Rheumatoid arthritis — Another form of arthritis that may cause your ankle to hurt suddenly is rheumatoid arthritis. While rheumatoid arthritis shares many of the same symptoms as osteoarthritis, it has a much different underlying cause. While osteoarthritis occurs due to the natural wear and tear of our joints, rheumatoid arthritis happens when our immune systems attack and damage the cartilage between our bones. Unlike osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis can also cause fatigue due to the inflammation it causes in our bodies. High fevers can also be a symptom of the condition. The inflammation caused by rheumatoid arthritis can make your ankles feel swollen and painful, making walking uncomfortable and difficult.
• Tendinitis — If you are someone who spends a lot of time on their feet, tendinitis can occur in your ankle even without injury. Overuse is the most common cause of tendinitis in the ankle. Wearing improper footwear, such as worn-out shoes, can also contribute to developing tendinitis. If you are experiencing swelling and stiffness in the ankle, as well as pain that seems to grow worse the longer you spend on your feet, then tendinitis is a likely culprit of your sudden ankle pain without injury.

Some other causes of sudden ankle pain without injury include:

• Fallen arches.
• Bursitis.
• Autoimmune disorders.

How can physical therapy help with my sudden ankle pain without injury?

A licensed physical therapist can employ a number of techniques to help you with your ankle pain. The aim of physical therapy is not only to reduce pain, but to restore your full range of motion, as well as prevent any further injury to the affected area. Some of the techniques a physical therapist may employ include:

• Manual therapy — Your physical therapist may employ hands-on techniques such as soft tissue mobilization to help reduce your ankle pain. This helps to break up scar tissue underneath the skin, as well as reduce tension and improve your flexibility.
• Joint mobilization — Joint mobilization techniques allow your physical therapist to restore movement to any joint that is experiencing a loss of mobility. This can help restore you to your normal levels of mobility, as well as reduce stiffness and pain.
• Therapeutic exercise — Therapeutic exercise incorporates a wide range of activities that help you regain your strength, flexibility and endurance. Your therapist can guide you through these exercises to improve your overall condition and prevent future injury.

Are you feeling sudden ankle pain without an injury? Continuum Wellness is here to help!

Our team at Continuum Wellness is ready and willing to help you tackle your ankle pain. We can perform an initial evaluation to determine what condition is causing your ankle pain. Then, our team can build a personalized physical therapy plan designed to treat the specific cause of your pain.

Are you ready to take the next step to treat the source of your ankle pain? Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.