Running and Ankle Pain

If you have a love for running, there are scores of races this fall taking place in many cities in Texas for you to choose from! There’s a race next Tuesday, Sept 30th that combines a 500 meter swim with a 5k run. If you can’t make it to that race, don’t sweat it! There will plenty of other races happening during the month of October as well, such as the Color Splash race happening on October 3rd. If you plan on attending any more races this year, just be sure to pay attention to your feet and ankles, as any kind of foot or ankle pain could ruin a perfectly good chance to enjoy one of these races.

Nothing is more frustrating when you are a runner than having to deal with ankle pain, either in training or during the run. The ankle is made up of a lot of muscles and ligaments and provides much of the propulsion your body needs during each stride. The ankle has to endure a lot of stress during running and there are a few reasons why you may have some pain in this area.

One cause could be something called posterior tibial tendonitis. A muscle that runs down your leg, behind the inside of your ankle and into the arch of your foot can become overworked, torn and inflamed. With this condition, you may feel pain on the inside of your ankle. Running on uneven surfaces or having a foot that overpronates (rolls inward) could put you at risk for this injury. Landing the wrong way on your foot one day could also have caused a sprain that you werent aware of at first. This may be another reason for recurring pain, as continued running hasnt allowed ligaments to heal properly. Overtraining could have resulted in an unseen stress fracture, which is a small hairline break in a bone that can lead to significant pain when the foot has to bear a lot of weight.

If icing and some rest from running dont take your ankle pain away, it is time to come in and see Aleisha Allen, DPM for an accurate diagnosis of what is causing your pain and the right treatment to get rid of it. A custom orthotic might be just what you need to get rid of ankle pain by realigning your ankle and foot while you run. Take your foot health seriously and call Houston Foot Specialists today for an appointment at (713) 467-8886.

Photocredit: Michal Zacharzewski via rgbstock

Category: Ankle Pain

Tags: ankle pain, Running, Running Injuries