- Physical Examination
- Surgical Examination
- Ophthalmology
- Clinical Skills
- Orthopedics
- Surgery Videos
- Laparoscopy
- Pediatrics
- Funny Videos
- Cardiothoracic Surgery
- Nursing Videos
- Plastic Surgery
- Otorhinolaryngology
- Histology and Histopathology
- Neurosurgery
- Dermatology
- Pediatric Surgery
- Urology
- Dentistry
- Oncology and Cancers
- Anatomy Videos
- Health and Fitness
- Radiology
- Anaesthesia
- Physical Therapy
- Pharmacology
- Interventional Radiology
- Cardiology
- Endocrinology
- Gynecology
- Emergency Medicine
- Psychiatry and Psychology
- Childbirth Videos
- General Medical Videos
- Nephrology
- Physiology
- Diet and Food Health
- Diabetes Mellitus
- Neurology
- Women Health
- Osteoporosis
- Gastroenterology
- Pulmonology
- Hematology
- Rheumatology
- Toxicology
- Nuclear Medicine
- Infectious Diseases
- Vascular Disease
- Reproductive Health
- Burns and Wound Healing
- Kidney Zone Podcast
- Other
Ankle pain
Category: Muscles, Bones & Joints · All muscles & joints symptoms
What it can feel like
Ankle pain most often follows a sprain — the ankle rolling inwards, stretching or tearing the ligaments on the outer side — with pain, swelling and bruising. Gradual ankle pain without injury points more towards tendons, joint wear or referred problems.
Possible causes
A symptom can have many causes, and most are not serious. The lists below group conditions this symptom can be associated with — common causes first. They are possibilities to discuss with a clinician, not a diagnosis.
Common causes
Ankle pain can be associated with ligament sprains, tendon irritation (including the Achilles tendon at the back), wear of the ankle joint, gout affecting the ankle, and footwear or training-load problems.
Other possible causes
Ankle pain can also be associated with fracture after injury, infection of the joint, inflammatory arthritis, and stress fractures in runners — persistent pain that is not improving on the expected timescale deserves re-examination.
Red flags — when to seek help promptly
- Ankle pain after injury with inability to take four steps — needs an X-ray assessment
- A hot, swollen ankle with fever
- Ankle pain with the calf swollen or tender (possible clot as well as injury)
- Pain that is not improving after a week of a presumed sprain
What a clinician may do
A clinician will examine the ankle's tender points, movement and stability, and test walking; rules exist to decide who needs an X-ray. Rehabilitation exercises, rather than prolonged rest, drive recovery from sprains.
Watch: related videos
Examination and clinical videos from the MedicalVideos.com library relevant to this symptom. Some clinical footage is graphic — that is the nature of a medical video library.
Related guides on MedicalVideos.com
Frequently asked questions
Should every sprained ankle be X-rayed?
No — validated rules (the Ottawa ankle rules) identify who needs films: those with bony tenderness at specific points or inability to bear weight. Using them avoids irradiating thousands of simple sprains while missing very few fractures.
Why does my healed sprain keep giving way?
Ligaments contain position sensors as well as strength; after sprains the ankle's balance reflexes are dulled, so it rolls again easily. Balance and strengthening exercises retrain this and are the core of preventing recurrence.
Related symptoms — Muscles, Bones & Joints
Browse the A section of the A–Z list or return to the Symptoms A–Z hub.