How can a physical therapist treat your back of ankle pain?

Are you struggling with persistent pain in the back of your ankle? You’re not alone. In fact, approximately 12% of the population in the U.S. experience ankle pain during their lives. Ankle pain, especially when it occurs toward the back, can make daily life difficult. It may make walking, jumping, running and even rotating your ankle feel painful and unpleasant. Don’t let your ankle pain take control of your life any longer. Here’s how you can identify the cause and address the pain at the back of your ankle.

What are some of the most common causes of pain that occur at the back of the ankle?

There are several possible causes of pain that occur at the back of the ankle. If you’re struggling to determine the specific cause of your ankle pain, you can read through the list of possibilities provided below. However, we highly recommend that you seek the professional diagnosis of a licensed physical therapy provider before seeking treatment for any one condition. It’s important that you have an accurate picture of the root cause before treatment. That way, you can receive the most effective treatment for your ankle pain.

• Arthritis in the feet and ankle joints — One common cause of pain at the back of the ankle is arthritis. Arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease that can affect the joints anywhere in the body, including the ankles and feet. We all have a joint at the back of each ankle called the posterior malleolus, which can become inflamed due to arthritis.

• Inflammation of the bursae — Bursae are the fluid-filled sacs that help cushion the joints in your body. When one or more of these fluid-filled sacs become inflamed around the ankle joints, it can cause pain.

• Inflammation of the Achilles tendon — The Achilles tendon is located at the rear of your ankle and connects your lower calf muscle to your heel. When this tendon becomes strained from overuse, it can cause pain and inflammation to occur.

There are many other causes of pain at the back of the ankle, including ankle sprains, strains and fractures. To determine your cause, don’t hesitate to contact a licensed physical therapy professional.

What techniques might physical therapists use to treat pain that occurs at the back of the ankle?

Physical therapy is a great treatment option for someone experiencing pain at the back of their ankles. While rest and pain medication can help reduce some of the pain and inflammation, physical therapy offers a greater array of benefits. These include reduced pain, improved range of motion, increased flexibility and strength, and reduced chance of re-injury. To achieve each of these benefits, your physical therapist will ask you to perform several movements and guide you through many useful techniques. Physical therapy techniques that a physical therapist may use to treat the pain at the back of your ankle include:

• Soft tissue mobilization — One technique that your physical therapist might use to treat your pain is soft tissue mobilization. They may perform this technique manually or with a tool to break up any muscle tension and improve the function of the muscles. 

• Joint mobilization — Joint mobilization is a manual technique involving motions to improve joint function and reduce joint pain. Joint mobilization is especially helpful for those who suffer from conditions like arthritis and experience joint pain in their ankles.

• Gait pattern analysis — Gait pattern analysis is another technique that may be used during PT to treat pain at the back of the ankle. If the source of your ankle pain is related to improper gait or walking patterns, a physical therapist can use gait analysis to identify that. From there, they can help you improve your gait and reduce ankle pain and inflammation.

• Custom-made orthotics — Some physical therapy clinics offer custom-made orthotics to their patients. If your back of the ankle pain is rooted in bad shoes, they can provide you with the orthotics you need to improve your condition, or give you a recommendation for where to get them. Not only can orthotics help correct foot and ankle problems, but they can also help with knee, hip and back issues too.

Alliance PTP is ready to help you find top-notch PT for that nagging pain at the back of your ankle

At Alliance Physical Therapy Partners, we’re proudly bringing together physical therapy practices across the country to help people get the high-quality PT they need. 

Want to see a physical therapist in person? We can put you in touch with an Alliance PTP partner that’s close to you and that can help you address any pain you may be experiencing at the back of your ankle. You don’t have to let ankle pain dictate your life any longer. Get help from one of our several PT partners. 

Not keen on in-person PT sessions or not close to an Alliance PTP partner? No worries. We also offer effective and affordable virtual physical therapy through our Agile Virtual Physical Therapy platform. 

Come find help for your injury or chronic condition today!