Causes
By Mayo Clinic staffInjury to any of the bones, ligaments or tendons in the ankle can cause ankle pain. A very common cause of ankle pain is a sprain, which occurs when the ankle joint is subjected to forceful twisting or bending. This can cause an ankle ligament to stretch or even tear. Ankle sprains can happen during sports or simply when you walk on an uneven surface or make a misstep.
Common causes of ankle pain include:
- Achilles tendinitis
- Achilles tendon rupture
- Avulsion fracture
- Bone spurs
- Broken ankle/broken foot
- Bursitis
- Gout
- Osteoarthritis
- Pseudogout
- Reactive arthritis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Septic arthritis
- Sprained ankle
- Sprains and strains
- Stress fractures
- Tarsal tunnel syndrome
Causes shown here are commonly associated with this symptom. Work with your doctor or other health care professional for an accurate diagnosis.
- Marx JA, et al. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 7th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?about=true&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05472-0..X0001-1--TOP&isbn=978-0-323-05472-0&uniqId=230100505-57. Accessed Jan. 4, 2013.
- Firestein GS, et al. Kelley's Textbook of Rheumatology. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2013. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/208746819-6/0/1807/0.html. Accessed Jan. 4, 2013.
- Imboden JB, et al. Current Rheumatology Diagnosis & Treatment. 2nd ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2007. http://www.accessmedicine.com/resourceTOC.aspx?resourceID=38. Accessed Jan. 4, 2013.
- Maughan KL. Ankle sprain. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed Jan. 4, 2013.
- Wilkinson JM (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Jan. 27, 2013.
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