Swollen ankles - Causes and Symptoms

Definition

Swollen ankles are a fairly common problem, which manifests itself in the swelling of the area between the leg and the foot. In some cases, this symptom is accompanied by pain and color change in the skin.

The ankle is a hinged mobile joint, of the trochlear type: an articular surface is given by the tibia and the fibula, the other is constituted by the talo (or astragalus). Therefore, it is a structure that is particularly subject to stress, both in sports and in everyday life. As such, it is exposed to mild or severe physical trauma, such as sprains, tendinitis and fractures.

In general, if the swelling affects only one ankle it may depend on an injury or condition that occurs only in the affected body district (eg inflammation of the joints or vascular disease). If the manifestation is, instead, bilateral (ie it affects both ankles), it leads to suspect the presence of a systemic pathology. The swelling of both ankles could be associated with defects in venous circulation of the legs, arthropathy or rheumatic diseases. In any case, if the edema is permanent and is associated with other symptoms, it is advisable to carry out more in-depth analyzes.

Swollen ankles may depend on other causes. This manifestation appears more frequently in old age, in overweight people, in those who live a sedentary lifestyle, in women during pregnancy (the ankles tend to swell especially towards the end of gestation, due to weight gain). The problem is very common even among people who spend many hours a day standing or sitting: if the muscles remain immobile, in fact, the capillaries make the blood flow upwards with difficulty and the accumulation of liquids in the interstitial space promotes swelling in the ankles and, often, also in the feet.

Swollen ankles can manifest themselves due to water retention, that is, the stagnation of fluids in the body, which tend to concentrate in specific areas of the body. In this sense, the symptom in question can be favored by the abuse of salt and alcohol.

The swollen ankles may also be due to prolonged immobility, the use of drugs (one of the side effects of some antihypertensives, such as calcium channel blockers) and the action of hormones (eg thyroid disease, menopause and pre-menstrual syndrome).

More serious causes include poor blood circulation associated with heart failure and kidney or liver failure. Heart failure often appears with breathlessness and a sudden increase in weight, even of three or four kilos in a few days; the ankle swelling associated with eyelid edema may indicate, instead, a kidney problem, such as the nephrotic syndrome.

Swollen ankles can also be a sign of deep vein thrombosis, a typical complication of varicose veins; in this case, edema typically occurs with only one ankle and is generally accompanied by pain, red or purplish skin pigmentation and a sense of heaviness.

Furthermore, it is also found in the case of lymphedema, infections (for example, in people suffering from diabetic neuropathy), hot temperatures, allergic reactions and insect bites.