Ankle Pain

[Please_Help950]

I was wondering if anyone could give me any ideas on what might help my ankle pain. I have been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia a while back and almost everyday I have really bad aching pain on the inside areas of both ankles, left side on right ankle and right side on left. I have sprained both ankles twice playing sports. My right ankle hurts the most and it has been the ankle that I have sprained the worse. I don't know if it has any thing to do with the pain, but my bones have been cracking really loud pretty much every time I bend or move into a different position. With that, I sometimes get sharp stabbing pain shoots through the area that cracked. I'm only 17 yrs old almost 18 on April 22nd, and I was wondering if I should be concerned about this. I believe that it is my ankles that crack the worse. Please if anyone knows anything that might be able to help me, don't hesitate to respond. Thank You so much! Any Info is greatly appreciated! :)

[Red931]

You are very young to be having these kinds of problems. I am sorry to hear that you are going through this.

I need to ask you some questions. When you sprained your ankles were they imobilzed in a cast or walking brace for any amount of time?

You stated that your pain is originating on the inside of each ankle. This is unusual if it is related to the sprains as when an ankle injury takes place it is usually the tendons and ligaments on the outside of the ankle that are injured.

Try to explain what happened when these injuries took place and I will se if I can help you based on my own experience. I have injured both of my ankles and have had surgery three times between the two. My most recent being a reconstruction surgery that was a delayed manifestation of my original injury years ago. I will expalin this to you after you answer the questions so that I have a better idea of the type of injuries that you sustained to your ankles.

Post back and I will see if I can give you some better advice.

[Please_Help950]

Thank you so much for your response, it is greatly appreciated! :) I'm also very sorry to hear about your injuries. :(

The most recent sprain of my right ankle was the worse. It resulted in me not being able to place any weight on that leg. My doctor told me that it was a very bad sprain and he gave me a prescription for a leg brace and crutches. So yes, my ankle was being held by a gel cushioned brace for a good while. The other times, my ankles weren't in any cast or brace.

Since I remember my most recent sprain the best I'll try to describe what happened:

I was playing Basketball during my Gym class about a year ago and I have jumped into the air to block the other team's basketball from going into the hoop. When I have landed though I have ended up stepping on another student's foot, due to them getting way too close, and after stepping on their foot somehow I have ended twisting my ankle really bad. My right foot literally bent completely to the right with a loud crack. Pain shot through my leg really badly, I thought that it was broke!!! I tried to place my leg back on the ground but it hurt way too bad to place any weight on it. The student said that he was sorry, and I think that he truly was. He got the teacher for me and they helped me back inside the school.

After awhile of sitting down, I was feeling a little better. So I tried standing up. That was probably a bad idea because when I placed some weight on my foot, my ankle cracked really loud again and excruciating pain shot through it. Maybe it was broke and it cracked back in place??? I don't know, but I know that once I got home I couldn't even walk. I ended up missing about two days of school before I was able to get the brace and crutches that the doctor had prescribed.

I'm not sure if the pain is coming from these injuries or from my Fibromyalgia pain. Although I truly believe that it has nothing to do with the Fibro Pain. The reason that I say that is because my Fibro Pain comes and goes while this pain seems to remain constant. Some times it feels like I have a lot of pressure in my ankles. I guess I would describe the pressure as either weakness or tenderness.

Thanks again for your response. It is greatly appreciated! :)

[Red931]

It seems you did put stress on your ankle that caused it to flex outward rather than inward as they usually do. When ligements and tendons get damaged on the inside of the ankle rather than the outside they don't heal as well.

If the right ankle is in worse shape than the left you are probably favoring the right when you walk without realizing it, thus causing more stress on the left and causing you discomfort on that ankle as well.

This brings me to what I was talking about yesterday with the term delayed manifestation. Your ankle injury may have degenerated over time since the date of the injury just from doing normal day to day activity.

I suggest you go see a good Orothopedic Surgeon and get an MRI of the ankle. If there is pain and swelling in the area there is a chance that there is ligament or tendon damage there as well as cysts that may have surfaced from a joint that you damaged at the time of the injury.

I had all of these problems. The cysts continued to form from the injured joint even after two Arthroscopic Surgeries to remove them leading to a Ankle Reconstruction Surgery this past February. In the end I received a tendon graft, ligament graft, and the joint was removed and replaced with an artificial artifact.

The MRI will reveal what is going on in there and hopefully you will be able to get the problem corrected.

Good Luck

[Tuckamore]

HI Please,

I am sorry that you are having some much pain, especially at such a young age. Red has offered you some very good suggestions.

I agree than an MRI should be ordered. That will give you a good picture of what, if any thing is visibly going on in your ankle. Often after a traumatic injury a condition called traumatic arthritis will set in, though I admit that is usually at a later age. But considering you have already been diagnosed with Fibro it is another possibility to consider.

There are ortho's that specialize in specific parts of the body, such as ankles. If your ortho is unable to explain your symptoms I suggest that you consult with an ortho that concentrate on the structure and function of the ankles.

In the mean time some warm soaks of Epsom salts several times a day may ease the pain. Elevation and support such as a wrap or sleeve may also be helpful. I assume you are taking something for the pain of your fibro, ask your parents and/or physician or pharmacist about adding a NSAID to your regime.

Good luck to you. Please let us know how you are doing. Peace, Tuck

[Please_Help950]

Thank You again for your response, it is greatly appreciated! :) I will try to find a good Orthopedic doctor/surgeon in my area and ask to have an MRI done.

I'm very sorry to hear about your problems. :( I hope you are doing much better now. :)

Thanks again for the helpful information! :)

Take Care and Best Wishes,

"Please_Help950"

[Please_Help950]

Thank you so much for your response, it is greatly appreciated! :) I will try to find a good orthopedic doctor/surgeon in my area and ask to have an MRI done.

Thank you for the helpful pain relieving tips. :) I will try them and ask my doctor about medication for my Fibro Pain.

Thanks again for your time and consideration, it is greatly appreciated! :) I'll let you know how it goes.

Take Care and Best Wishes,

"Please_Help950"