Sharp ankle pain during bowel movement

[aclem]

Hi I'm new to this site.  I am just wondering if anyone else has heard of or experienced this type of pain.  For about 8 months or so, on and off, I've been experiencing sharp pain at my right medial ankle during bowel movements.  The pain ranges from a 3 to a 10, average about 6-7 (I've had 10 only a few times, when I feel like my ankle is being sawed in half and I have to grab it tightly).  It's been on and off, meaning for about a month I'll experience it, then for a few weeks it's completely gone.  The pain disappears after the bowel movement though sometimes my ankle feels a little weaker if I get up too quickly.  Sometimes I feel the pain when I'm standing or sitting for no apparent reason.  I am 24 years old, pretty healthy, and have had no ankle or foot trauma that I know of.  I'm an optometry student so I pretty much sit most of the day.  I usually exercise by just walking (more so now because it's summer, but not much at all during the school year when this began).

I did see a doctor on campus at the university before my husband got health insurance for us and that doctor just said it was atypical.  I couldn't afford at that time to get an x-ray, and now with insurance I'm thinking I should get something done once we're more financial stable in a few months.

I'm thinking it's a pinched nerve but am not sure why it's just my ankle (not down my leg which would connect my rectum to my ankle) and usually only during bowel movements.  I've had a history of sharp lower back pain when I was 18 years old, and had to wear a heel lift for about a year to even out some bones around my hips.

Thank you for your time and any input is appreciated. :-)

[Tuckamore]

Thanks for your input. Unfortunately this is a very old thread, 2008. I don't believe that any of the participants are currently active.

Feel free to comment on our active threads.

Thank You,
~Tuck

[Mulaifa]

i am experiencing that. it is soo painful.

[Sir_Hammond]

Reflexology in non-medical terms is that basically on the foot there are many, many points that link to other points on the body. If you've ever spent considerable time looking at a reflexology or studied the subject, you may know that there is a point kind of at the middle top area of the arch in the foot. When this point is massaged, the sphinctal (anus) area relaxes. When a large amount of pressure is applied to the anal/sphinctal area, it causes the corresponding point in the foot to cramp up and sometimes experience shooting pains. As stated earlier in the thread, it is the sphinctal pressure that causes this uncomfortable feeling. Usually this is triggered when we have a bowel movement, especially when you've neglected using the toilet and instead are holding it in. Basically the body is trying to excrete the poop when the rectum is full, and when we neglect to use the restroom or try to hold it in, it puts pressure on the anus and sends the shooting pain signal down to the foot. This experience tends to happen pretty often when just needing to do an average movement, but hurts especially if the movement is large or if you're trying to suppress it. So, all in all, when you get that first sign that you need to poop, go poop. The longer you wait, the large the chances are that you'll experience the uncomfortable and usually painful feeling in your feet, or specific foot.

Source: I have experienced this feeling my whole life, not with every movement, but just now and then. I've done my own self experiments to see if holding it in worsens it, it does, I have talked to doctors about this, researched it, and looked into reflexology a lot too.

Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. If you are experiencing the normal level of discomfort from this, I'd suggest bringing it up to your doctor when you have an appointment coming up. I wouldn't suggest making a seperate appointment for this unless your symptoms are severe or if the pain lasts for a long time after the movement has passed.

Hope I can shed some light on what's going on in our bodies, usually, and can help calm those worried about it down too. Again, if you experience anything long lasting or severe, do not neglect to visit your doctor, local urgent care or clinic, or call 911 if it gets to that.

[RonSwann]

This thread could change my life.

Ten years ago I suffered a  spinal cord/Cauda Equina injury that caused significant paralysis in my saddle, legs, and feet.   I have severely reduced bowel and bladder including rectal prolapse.  I alway feel like I have a tennis ball in my anal cavity.

I have adjusted to living in a broken body but over the last four years chronic ankle and big toe pain has just about destroyed me.

This morning I was awoken at 4:00 am with burning ankle and big toe pain (5-6).
This is not unusual (I only manage 4-5 hours of Ambien induced sleep a night.)
Around 5:00 am I noticed it increased (7-8) during my bowel movement.  

I have take my oxycodone and will try to get back to sleep.

Will check back and write more later.

[manta66]

I See this post is old but omb77, I have the EXACT same thing as you, as my sphincter begins to open for (or quiver before) a bowel movement I get an excruciating sharp pain that makes me scream out loud, as soon as the sphincter is fully open, this pain immediately stops and the rest of the BM is pain free, except if i wipe a bit hard, it is totally associated with anal sphincter pressure, it is quick and sharp and immediately goes away but feels like someone is stabbing my left heel with a knife in the exact same spot every time.

Did you ever follow up on this? As i too found the same reflexology information as you, what was your verdict and do you still have it?  I had it for a month, then it went away for a few weeks and seems to be back again.

Please help!!

[nsigler]

i experience the same ankle pain, in my left ankle, every bm.  i've been getting massages about everyir 3 weeks and am seriously thinking about mentioning it to my therapist, as i don't recall having this issue until i began massage therapy

[Cooltea]

I just had Achilles tendon surgery about 2 months ago and just started experiencing the same pain. It is severe pain in the bottom of my foot (plantar fasciitis) but only when I have a bowel movement. The is extremely severe. Even most than what I experience with my surgery.

[DanyelB]

Hello, did you ever find out why you are having foot pain during bowel movement? I am also experiencing the same thing, the only difference is that I feel the sharp shooting pain on my big toe (right foot). It used to be that I would only feel the pain during bowel movement, but lately I have also been feeling the pain even NOT during bowel movement.  I appreciate your response.  Thanks, Danyel

[georgiasunflower]

The same pains are happening to me! It's been happening since I was 13 years old and now I'm 21. During a bowel movement, I have an unbearable achy pain in the bottom of both of my feet. However, once I'm done, the pain slowly goes away. I will try the squatting method to see if this helps any. Thanks.

[omb77]

I realize this thread is over two years old, but I found it while doing a google search, trying to find more information on a pain similar to what several of you are experiencing. It's the weirdest thing!! I am 26, healthy, eat really well, exercise fairly regularly, and for some reason over the past year or so, I started experiencing this odd pain. It's a VERY sharp, sometimes nearly unbearable pain on the inside of my left heel every time I am about to have a bowel movement that pretty much disappears after the movement. It is that same very specific spot every time. My online research to try and understand the connection led me to reflexology, where, looking at a map of the feet, I learned that the exact spot on the inside of the left heel where I am experiencing the pain corresponds to the colon. Interesting. What does that mean? I don't know. Perhaps a clear indicator that I need to go get my colon checked out.

Hope that is helpful to all that are experiencing this strange, strange sensation :)

[pavanatanaya]

I too have pain in my left foot until a morning clearing. The symptoms go away more completely the greater the bowel clearing. I recommend instead of sitting during bowel movements, that you squat. I know it sounds awkward but it aligns the colon for a more complete evacuation.
There are devices sold that cradle the toilet bowl and provide a platform on which your feet can rest.

Happy pooping.

[del670]

I have been experiencing a sharp pain on my lower left foot during a bowel. Stared about a month ago which scared me at first, now I've just gotten used to it. I think maybe it could just be a pinched nerve.  But if anyone can pin point the problem I'd really appreciate it .


Del

[dana007]

I'm going to be thinking about this as I sleep tonight...
The first thing after reading this entire thread... if both affected during moving bowels and urination... could this be a vaso vagal type response?? (I'm a nurse) I haven't heard of anything like this before, but I'm going to see what I can find. I work on a GI unit and I'll see what some doctors think when I go to work tomorrow.

Dana

PS: I would follow up with a chiropractor. As much as I believe in doctors, I believe chiropractors are the smartest people to see when muscles/bones/nerves in combo could be involved. Maybe even massage therapy could help? Definitely something pinched sounds right so both massage and active release therapy could help with that, or with any old scar tissue that may have developed with your old back problems.

Good luck!!!

[TheRedGirl]

I think I finally have an answer to this perplexing  problem. I saw my neurologist for an unrelated issue and my foot pain came up.  I was told that any issue affecting organs or internal tissue can affect our nervous system.  This includes the nerves in any area of the body.  In my situation, due to an injury in my lower back, I had a bit of nerve damage and when it was time for a bowel movement, just as your tummy will cramp at that time, if any nerves in your back are damaged or affected, they will possibly hurt too.  Because of this, any nerves in your back or down your legs can be painful.  Try to remember if you've ever had any injury to your lower back.  It wouldn't have to be a huge injury, anything that messed up a nerve can cause wide spread damage.

BTW, not only do I have foot pain when it's bowel movement time but now when it's time to urinate it happens again.  The pain is even worse with urination.  Thankfully, it's relieved as soon as I go.  Anyway, hope this helps.

Alex

[GilSilvers]

Somewhat similar issue.  For about 3 months now I have experienced sporadic, very sharp pinpoint pain on the top of my left foot.  Sharp pains last about 1/2 second and usually occur in swarms spaced 1-5 seconds apart, the entire episode lasting from 10 seconds to 4 minutes.  Sometimes I am seated, sometimes walking.  The only common denominator is the notion of intestinal activity - normal peristalsis, or perhaps the periodic mass movement from small intestine to large.  Unlike your presentation, bowel movements do not follow pain episodes closely.  Could pain in my gut somehow be cross-wired to my left foot?

[TheRedGirl]

I have spent hours trying to attach these two symptoms.  First, I begin to have severe foot pain; mostly in my arches on the bottom of my feet.  Shortly aftwerwards, I can be guaranteed a normal bowel movement.  When I'm done in the bathroom, my "bottom of the foot pain" slowly begins to go away.  Although, it never completely goes away, just enough to stop me from screaming.  Does anyone have an idea as to why in the world this would happen?

[sandee1818]

Sorry your question has went unanswered. I don't know alot about your situation but to me it sounds as if your past injuries are playing a part in the pain. When hip pain is involved it seems that the pain your experiencing would be along them lines. I could be wrong but it sounds like thats the case. I would recommend seeing an ortho specialist to help you. Also I know you say the pain is only at certain times so that will be a big clue into your diagnosis.
Good luck and I hope you find some relief.