When an ankle starts to hurt, and is not caused by sprain or a trauma, it is important not to wait for it to go away by itself. This is because – explains Dr. Lara Castagnetti, osteopath and specialist in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Humanitas – leaving too much time between the onset of the pain and the medical visit, could contribute to the progress of a disease, called arthrosis, which affects all the joints, including the ankle. Referral to a specialist when you feel pain, for example, while walking, is necessary to diagnose the arthrosis disease early and intervene in its initial stages, allowing you to benefit from non-surgical treatments. In fact, exactly like the arthritis that affects every other joint, even the one affecting the ankle leads to a progressive deterioration of the foot joint, therefore even the movements necessary for walking can be painful and difficult. However, it is wrong to think that the arthrosis of the ankle can occur only in advanced ages; in fact, arthrosis could develop even in young adults as a consequence of previous traumas that have affected the ankle. Therefore the cartilage, which is essential to make the movement of the foot smooth, begins to get damaged, getting thinner. By leaving the bones that make up ankle uncovered, each movement makes them rub against each other, deteriorating the ligaments, which makes the onset of pain inevitable. The latter is definitely the clearest sign that something is going wrong; this can be associated with a limited movement of the ankle, in addition to the fact that the joint may be swollen and deformed.
