Sprained ankle is the main reason of ankle instability, while bunion and plantar fasciitis are main sources of chronic pain.
Ankle region basic anatomy
Ankle joint includes three joints, they are Inferior Tibiofibular Joint, Talocrural Joint and Subtalar Joint.
The joint is supported by medial and lateral ligament, and it is least stable in plantarflexion, while comparing with dorsiflexion. The medial or deltoid ligaments are stronger than lateral ligament. As a result, 80% of ligamentous sprains are caused by inversion sprain motion.
Common Ankle Pain Reason:
Ligamentous sprains account for most of the ankle injury. To check for sprain ankle, practitioners or patients could not miss checking ligament integrities of the following three ligament ATFL, CFL and PTFL. For instance, anterior drawer test has good sensitivity and specificity for ATFL related joint stability. Checking the joint laxity and palpating superior fascicles of ATFL are generally practiced by physiotherapist to rule out ligament torn and form the prognosis.
Lesser common reasons could not be missed, including Medial ligament injury, Tibialis Posterior Tendinitis, Peroneal Tendinitis, Osteochondral lesion of the talus.
- Neuroma
- Heel Spurs
- Achilles Tendonitis
- Xanthomas of the Achilles Tendon
- Bunion
- Tibialis Posterior Tendonitis
- Ankle Sprain / Recurrent Sprain / Instability
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome
How Traditional Chinese Medicine & Physiotherapy Help?
Gait AnalysisHelps diagnosis of problem and formulate appropriate training protocol for ankle and feet.
Acupuncture and NeedlingPain relief and promote circulation to the affected area. [Read]
Insole Orthotics prescriptionImprove the functions of locomotion, especially for flat feet or high foot arch patients.
Manual Rx and MobilizationRelease muscle tightness, improve joint alignment and function.
Traditional Chinese MedicineImprove body energy level, promote balance of health.[Read]
Exercise TherapyPromote injured tissue healing, improve proprioception of the affected ankle.
Reference
Croy, T., Koppenhaver, S., Saliba, S., & Hertel, J. (2013). Anterior talocrural joint laxity: Diagnostic accuracy of the anterior drawer test of the ankle. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy, 43(12), 911–919. https://doi.org/10.2519/jospt.2013.4679
Other Commonly Seen Conditions
