Why do I have top of the ankle pain?

The answer to this question can vary from person to person, but there are certain things that can make top of ankle pain more likely. 

People who are currently experiencing ankle pain are not alone. A study of running injuries reports that ankle injuries make up almost 17% of all running injuries. If you haven’t yet figured out why you have pain at the top of your ankle, a physical therapist can help you. These specialists can pinpoint the reason you have ankle pain, and they can also help you find effective treatment for ankle pain. 

Three reasons you could have pain at the top of your ankle

There are many conditions and injuries that can lead to pain at the top of your ankle. Physical therapists can often narrow down the root cause of your pain to one of three things: 

1. Too much repetitive movement — Repetitive movements are something your ankle does anytime you walk, jog or run. However, doing such movements for too long can often lead to repetitive motion injuries. Some of the repetitive motion injuries that can lead to ankle pain include: 

• Plantar fasciitis
• Ligament strains
• Achilles tendinitis

2. Landing wrong — Running, walking and jumping are typically safe as long as your feet land correctly. But uneven ground and other factors can cause your foot to land improperly. In turn, this can overstretch ligaments in your ankle, which is known as an ankle sprain. 

3. Overstressing a lower leg muscle — Your lower leg has many muscles that are attached to the foot and ankle by tendons. Pushing these muscles too hard can cause them to develop areas of tension called myofascial trigger points or tears. In turn, these issues can cause you to feel pain in your lower leg and ankle. 

SSOR offers effective physical therapy for ankle pain

Not sure where to turn for physical therapy that can treat top of ankle pain? SSOR has a team of physical therapists that offer effective care for ankle pain. We can do a free screening on your ankle to determine the source of your pain. Then, our physical therapists can build you a personalized therapy plan intended to decrease your pain by using therapy methods like: 

• Joint mobilization
• Muscle energy techniques
• Soft tissue mobilization
• Dry needling
• Running gait analysis
• Virtual therapy
• At-home care

Contact us today for more information about how we can treat your ankle pain or to schedule an initial appointment.