CEC ARTICLE
2 OF 5 ARTICLES
INJURY & REHAB
WHAT CAUSES
ANKLE PAIN
AND HOW CAN IT BE ADDRESSED ?
Do you train clients with ankle pain ? You should look to both exercise and non-exercise related strategies for decreasing pain and improving function of the entire body , writes corrective exercise specialist Justin Price .
FIGURE 1 : Ankle Joint Anatomy
A nkle pain is a frustrating problem
that many people experience at one time or another ( Thomas et al ., 2011 ; Doherty et al ., 2014 ). It can negatively affect almost every move one makes , as well as the act of simply standing . Pain in the ankle joint is often the result of a common musculoskeletal imbalance caused by a number of structures and / or muscles in the body not working correctly .
Anatomy of the ankle
The ankle joint ( i . e . talocrural joint ) is a hinge joint formed in the area where the shin bones ( i . e . tibia and fibula ) sit on top of the talus bone ( see Figure 1 ).
This joint has up and down movement capabilities which enable the shin to move forward over the foot , the foot to be pulled up toward the shin ( i . e . dorsiflex ) and the foot to push down away from the shin ( i . e . plantar flex ). These movements are extremely important during all weight bearing activities , like walking and running , because they allow the body to first accept weight over the foot and then push the foot down to transfer weight from one side of the body to the other ( see Figure 2 ) ( Kelikian , 2011 ).
When the ankle cannot perform these movements effectively and efficiently , pain and dysfunction inevitably result .
Common causes of ankle pain
The most common musculoskeletal imbalance that causes pain to the ankle is a lack of dorsiflexion ( Price , 2018 ). This lack of motion in the ankle joint causes joints above and below to compensate and overly stresses the soft tissue structures ( i . e . muscles , tendons , ligaments , and fascia ) surrounding not only the ankle , but the foot , knee , hip and back as well .
Past injuries / surgeries , arthritis , diabetes , gout , activity choice , footwear and underlying muscle and movement imbalances can result in a lack of dorsiflexion in the ankle joint ( Price & Bratcher , 2019 ). As a responsible fitness professional , it is your duty to refer out to a licensed medical professional if you suspect ( or have been informed by your client ) that a diagnosed condition beyond your scope of practice is contributing to your client ’ s ankle pain ( American Council on Exercise , 2010 ). However , it is also your job to understand the underlying movement / muscle dysfunctions that can cause ankle pain and recommend corrective exercises / strategies to help your clients overcome these imbalances .
16 | NETWORK SPRING 2021