Ankle is the most prone area to get injured and be the victim of wear and tear. It is the most overused part of our body and needs to be taken care of. To know about its pain, symptoms, ankle braces, rehabilitation and treatment; one should get through an ankle’s anatomy. After having a gist about it, you’ll be able to take better care.

#1. What is an Ankle’s anatomy?

The ankle is made up of two joints called upper and lower tarsal joints. It is a hinged-type joint that facilitates normal movement of the leg. The structure consists of primary bone ligaments called deltoid, anterior talofibular, posterior talofibular and calcaneofibular along with the bones talus, tibia, and fibula. You keep up straight with the help of these tendons, bones, ligaments, and the muscles supporting the ankle.

#2. What are the types of ankle joint motion?

There are two types of ankle joint motion-

Dorsiflexion - when the dorsum comes to the anterior part of the foot, it is called dorsiflexion. Dorsum is the back of the foot.

Plantar flexion - running, walking, and other feet to ground related activities are carried by our plantar flexion motion. It is the balance with the heels on the legs to the toes.

#3. How are Ankles prone to injuries?

We often see people wearing ankle braces or foot ankle supports. These are one of the common injuries that people encounter. Ankles take the whole body weight by supporting it to walk, run, dance, jog, and perform every activity involving the ground to feet movement. Hence, it becomes prone to injuries. Wear and tear frequently occurs but can be seen common in senior citizens.

Weak ankles can make you more prone to ankle injuries as you age. Hence there are ankle boot supports, ankle bandages, supports and more available to help people cope with the problems. Following are the issues related to ankle injuries-

1. Overweight - The more you weigh, the more strain your ankle experiences. Hence one should keep track of their weight to restrain from ankle injuries.

2. Age related - As you age, wear and tear occurs frequently. Weak ankles get more prone to injuries.

3. Twist and roll in ankles - It is one of the common ways to hurt an ankle.

Due to ligament tear and stretch, 85% of the ankle is prone to injuries. These ligaments can get stretched or torn resulting in injuries. These injuries are most common among athletes, as they are involved in HIIT workouts and can put more pressure on ankles than usual.

#4. What are the types of ankle injuries?

The most common ankle injuries are- Ankle Sprain, Avulsion fracture, Stress related fracture, Arthritis (in the form of Rheumatoid, Reactive, Psoriatic, Septic), Tendon rupture, Osteoarthritis, Peroneal Tendon injury, Talar Dome Lesion, Gout, Bursitis, Tendonitis, Instability, Nerve compression called Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome, damage to structured alignment or any Infection leading to ankle injuries. One should take appropriate medical measures to avoid further damage.

#5. What are the symptoms for an ankle injury?

Ankle injuries can be quickly felt with the pain but sometimes due to internal wound, these can’t be felt prominently. Given are the symptoms related to ankle injuries-

1. Swelling

2. Tenderness

3. Bruise

4. Acute pain

5. The inability to bear body weight by the ankle.

6. If you are not able to move the ankles and experience stiffness in the region.

7. Skin discolouration (usually blue)

#6. What are the different ways to treat ankle pains?

The ankle pains can cause a lot of stress and discomfort. There are a lot of ways to treat the joint, mainly via home remedies and the help from medical consultant-

1. Immobilise or Rest - Ankles demand rest after going through a strain. One is required to rest or immobilise the area affected to let the natural process start. It will restrict your motion and give it time to heal.

2. Use disability or mobility aid - The disability aids can help people who got into serious injuries and cannot recover in time. The post-surgical, operative, or fractures can make you opt for aids like crutches, canes or even wheelchairs.

3. Foot elevation - If you are resting, keep the foot on a pillow or a stand to elevate it. T will reduce the swelling around the ankle.

4. Putting ice - Cold therapy is exclusively used to treat ankle sprains. Sehaaonline provides an extensive range of cold ankle support products in Dubai.It can make the area numb and help to reduce the swelling.

5. Medications - Medicines that are anti-inflammatory like ibuprofen or acetaminophen can counteract the pain. To know the dosages, consult a medical professional.

6. Cortisone injections - Ankle joints are given the cortisone dosages to relieve the pain. It has corticosteroid with the local anaesthetic medication.

7. Stretching and workouts - rehabilitation requires exercises to recover the ankle. The recovery time is essential to lift the joints again and make a little movement. Sehaaonline provides a comprehensive range of therabands like resistance bands. These are used to increase the range of motion and control the joint activity. One shouldn’t push themselves but take the process slowly and steadily.

8. Surgery - surgeries like arthroscopy or reconstruction are opted when your ankle is completely damaged. If the non surgical methods don’t work, go for the surgery.

9. Foot and Ankle supports and braces - the equipment like foot and ankle braces and supports can help people to cope with the pain and restrict the ROM. Sehaaonline provides an extensive range of ankle-foot equipment and supports.

#7. What are the types of ankle supports?

There are the following types of rehabilitation aids available-

1. Sleeves - These are considered the most comfortable ankle brace. The ankle sleeves cannot be worn in the moderate to severe cases. If you have a mild sprain, they can help to treat the area with ease.

2. Straps - Ankle straps are called eight shaped braces that can be easily wrapped or binded around an ankle. They have comprehensive thicknesses and different flexibility levels. Younger adults and athletes opt for ankle strap supports.

3. Lace-ups - the lace-ups provide ample stability and are said to be the most classic foot ankle supports. They are made up of stiff material and have a laced up style.

4. Hybrids - Hybrid is defined as the mix of all the foot ankle support. It comprises a sleeve, strap, stirrup and lace-up. The serious ankle injuries can lead one to opt for hybrids.

5. Aircast and Air Boots - These are strong material made braces and supports that not only support the ankles but can give you a strong calve-cast.