Almost any adult is familiar with the condition when the ankle is swollen and sore. If the male half of the population treats such a phenomenon negligently, then even a slight one makes women and the elderly nervous. And rightly so, because puffiness always means a malfunction in the body, in some cases quite serious. In addition, it gives the leg from the outside a not very beautiful shape. In this regard, girls and women cannot wear their favorite shoes.
The most well-known causes, as a result of which the leg in the ankle area becomes swollen, are: prolonged stay in one position, excess weight, the period of bearing a child and old age. If the ankles swell in the above cases, taking a pose that allows you to place the sore legs above the level of the heart will help to eliminate such a nuisance.
Why do ankles hurt
A pain symptom in the ankle area when walking may indicate the need to change unsuitable shoes or the development of certain diseases. It is possible to identify the correct cause of the occurrence of painful sensations only by taking into account their intensity and predominant signs. The ankles hurt and may swell with diseases such as:
- sprain, muscle rupture;
- fracture of one or both ankles;
- osteoarthritis;
- arthritis;
- gout;
- Achilles tendinitis.
You can get injured with an unsuccessful jump or with a sharp twist of the leg while walking. Strong in all cases is accompanied by swelling of the affected area. Swelling immediately appears on the inside of the joint as a result of hemorrhage. Joint deformity occurs due to damage to their cartilage tissue.
Often the cause of this process is obesity or wearing uncomfortable shoes. Pain in the legs can occur both when walking and when the limb is in a calm state. The symptoms of the disease are different: a tumor appears on the leg, the habitual gait is disturbed, the foot becomes less mobile, and when the form is advanced, the joint may become immobilized.
In arthritis, it is affected as a result of its inflammation, disturbance of the metabolic process and degenerative disease. This disease mainly occurs in the elderly. With it, people feel a pain symptom in the leg, which is in various positions. In the event of a bruise or injury, post-traumatic arthritis occurs, and with a hereditary inflammatory process, rheumatoid arthritis occurs.
Gout is a disease that leads to the accumulation of uric acid in the blood, which causes the deposition of gouty nodes in the joints. The symptoms of gout are similar to those of acute arthritis. The disease occurs predominantly in older males.
The foot in the ankle area swells with the development of Achilles tendonitis, an inflammatory process that appears with prolonged stress. In such a situation, the ankles hurt along the tendon, and a swelling appears in the heel area. With prolonged inflammation in the leg, there is a possibility of tendon rupture. The disease develops when engaging in physical exercises that cause increased stress on the ankle joint. Note that with an insect bite, the bone on the ankle also swells. At the same time, a person experiences pain and itching in the area of \u200b\u200bthe bite.
Treatment for ankle pain
In order for the treatment to be correct and effective, the true cause must be known, due to which the lower extremities hurt in the ankle area. When pain in the legs occurs after severe fatigue, it is necessary to do. In this case, the treatment session should end with a dousing with cold water. Then you need to rest, keeping your legs up. For the activity of blood movement, it is recommended to use creams containing horse chestnut extract.
If pain in the leg is caused by systematic loads caused by excessive body weight of a person, it is necessary to eliminate the causes of fullness. To do this, a person must switch to a dietary and balanced diet, through which it will be possible not only to reduce weight, but also to stabilize the metabolism in the body, which will positively affect the ankle joints.
If you get a leg injury, you need to immediately seek medical advice, self-medication in this case is unacceptable. X-rays will reveal the extent of damage to the leg and determine further treatment. Before the arrival of the medical service, you can reduce ankle pain by using a cold compress placed on the site of inflammation. In addition to this, it is necessary that the ankle joint is fixed. So he will be provided with complete peace.
Based on the initial examination, it is impossible to correctly determine the cause of the pain. Only performing medical examinations such as MRI, X-ray, laboratory tests will make it possible to identify the source of pain in the ankle. 
If a person constantly has pain in one leg or both limbs while walking, this should be a reason to see a doctor. Untimely therapy can lead the disease to a chronic form, as a result of which the joint is destroyed. This leads the patient to disability.
The use of ointments and massage for ankle swelling
If the reason that caused the swelling of the ankles was not the pathology of the internal organs, you can fix the problem yourself. This requires:
- wear suitable light footwear and compression stockings;
- take contrast foot baths;
- perform massage and gymnastic exercises for the feet;
- use medicinal ointments.
In the presence of flat feet, the orthopedic doctor will advise you to purchase shoes according to a specially made individual order with orthopedic insoles. These shoes should be worn at all times. It should be comfortable, and the toes should be located freely in it. It is necessary to reduce the intake of fluids and table salt before bedtime.
If women have varicose veins, experts recommend wearing compression stockings that can strengthen the surfaces of blood vessels and eliminate swelling in the ankle area. At the same time, it is necessary to do contrast baths, thanks to which it is possible not only to reduce pain in the ankle, but also to ensure that the legs do not swell in the future. For best results, the sore leg should be in hot water for about 5 minutes and chilled for 15-20 seconds. Such actions need to be duplicated 3 times every day before going to bed.
Massage procedures and gymnastic exercises for the feet reduce the pain symptom and eliminate swelling of the ankles. In addition, massage strengthens blood vessels and muscles, which prevents the subsequent appearance of edema. The procedure is also performed if the bone on the leg is swollen. Massage can be done without the help of strangers. During the procedure, the ankles and feet are stretched. Gymnastics classes can be combined with daily work.
The use of the ointment is advisable if the ankle swells and severe pain is felt or severe swelling appears on the legs. Often, experts recommend using ointments such as Asklezan, Lyoton or Troxevasin. Together with them, you can use traditional medicine.
