Medial Ankle Pain

The mention of Achilles Heel and the Achilles tendon is perhaps a huge cliche, be it anatomy or Greek mythology but it is a fact that our Achilles tendon is the strongest and the largest tendon in our body. This tendon is closely connected with our ankle and a direct blow or impact on the ankle or calf muscle can injure this tendon. Talking of ankle pain, it can be experienced due to a number of reasons and it can be either medial or lateral ankle pain. Medial ankle pain refers to pain in the inner part of the ankle. Ankle pain would be dealt with further, in the paragraphs below.

Ankle Pain Types

Acute Ankle Pain
Acute ankle pain occurs due to an injury and amongst the injuries, the most routine is an ankle sprain, either medial or lateral. The most common reasons for an ankle sprain, leading to pain in the medial ankle, are sports like football, tennis, basketball, hockey and athletic events. Although it is painful, it heals within the matter of a few weeks.

Severe or Chronic Ankle Pain
When you talk of chronic ankle pain, it can happen in either the medial ankle area or the lateral ankle. As opposed to acute ankle pain, it is a long term complaint and it is an indication that the tendons and nerves passing through the ankle region are under a lot of stress. Whenever weight has to be borne, the ligaments and tendons tend to give away, exacerbating the pain. The pain can be further increased by running and sports. In a few cases sharp pain occurs and radiates to the arch of the foot.

Causes of Medial Ankle Pain

#1
An injury to the ankle is one of the most prominent reasons for pain in the medial ankle area. What happens in case of an injury or a rolled ankle, the tendons and the nerves in that area are stretched beyond their normal tenacity and so they give away, leading to a tear and consequent pain. It could be a sprain or a serious impact in that area, causing pain. Medial ankle pain from running and walking is a very common occurrence.

#2
Ankle fracture can cause medial ankle discomfort. This is an extreme condition where the bone is affected and it is followed by an impact on all the surrounding ligaments and tendons. The fracture can be a complete breaking of the bone or there could be a hairline fracture. Even a hairline fracture can be very painful.

#3
Arthritis and especially inflammatory types of arthritis, where there is inflammation of the joints like rheumatoid arthritis can lead to medial ankle pain. In addition to that gout arthritis, spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis are a few others leading to ankle pain in the medial area. Any other joint disorder too, can lead to this kind of pain and discomfort.

#4
Joint infection would naturally cause a substantial amount of pain, in case that area is affected. However, it is extremely rare. This can only happen, in case of bacteria or virus getting an entry into the ankle by way of a puncture wound or trauma. As a result of ulcerations and abrasions, the skin over the ankle area can breakdown, which in turn can lead to ankle pain.

#5
Another slightly uncommon reason for ankle pain in the medial area is tarsal tunnel syndrome. Tarsal tunnel syndrome involves compression of nerves in the ankle as they pass under the band meant to support the ankle referred to as flexor retinaculum. The pain accompanies numbness and tingling and this is akin to the carpal tunnel syndrome affecting the wrist.

The treatment and symptom relief depends on the cause and severity of the pain. A trip to the doctor, just to be sure that there is nothing serious in case of ankle pain, is advisable. Take Care!