Ankle pain

Your ankle joints allow for the up-and-down, and side-to-side movement of your foot. Numerous ligaments surround the bones in these joints, stabilising them and connecting the bones in your leg to the bones in your feet.

Every time you walk, your feet and ankles are taking on the weight of your entire body — so imagine how much extra pressure they're under when you run or jump! Running and jumping places extra force on your ankle joints, equalivant to several times your body weight - so it's no surprise that they are prone to injury.

Your ankle pain could be caused by an injury, like a stress fracture or ankle sprain, or a medical condition, like rheumatoid arthritis. It could feel like a sharp, shooting pain, or a dull ache, depending on your condition.

We've highlighted the most common causes of ankle pain below. Click through for more information on each one and to find out how we would treat the condition.

Common causes of ankle pain

Stress Fracture

Stress fractures are tiny cracks in the bone (microfractures) that develop gradually overtime, usually due to overuse or repetitive activity that restricts the bone from healing.

Achilles Tendinopathy

Achilles tendinopathy is a degenerative condition thought to be caused by gradual wear and tear of the tendon, usually from overuse or ageing.

Sever's Disease

Sever's disease (calcaneal apophysitis) is one of the most common causes of heel pain in children and young adolescents, occurring from inflammation of the growth plate in the heel.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is a long term autoimmune disorder that affects the body through persistent damage to the lining of the joints. This happens when the immune system doesn't work properly, mistakenly attacking your own healthy cells.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage (smooth elastic tissue) that protects the ends of the bones breaks down over time. This results in pain and swelling at your major joints, often making them hard to move.

Are you experiencing pain elsewhere?

Foot & Arch Pain

Heel pain

Leg pain

Man leaning forward on the railing with one foot forward, stretching the back leg's calf.

How mobile are your ankles?

Take the knee-to-wall test to find out! We also provide you with a number of stretches that will help improve your ankle mobility.

A foot hovering above a blue orthotic that is on a pink mat

Do I need orthotics?

Not everyone needs orthotics, but they can play an integral role in treating or relieving pain in several foot and lower limb conditions.

One pair of men's feet next to one pair of women's feet hovering in the air above a blue ocean

7 tips to keep your feet healthy this summer

The heat and humidity of an Australian summer makes it a prime time for issues to arise, so our newest podiatrist Lucy has put together seven helpful tips to keep your feet healthy and problem free throughout summer.

Ankle Pain