Random, sudden, and severe inner ankle pain?

Posted , 16 users are following.

This started about two weeks ago.

My right ankle has been experiencing random bouts of very severe inner ankle pain when attempting to walk. It comes on suddenly. The pain disappears completely as long as I keep the weight off of it, and I'm able to walk again after a few minutes of rest.

This same ankle 'cracks' painlessly when rotating it and also used to 'lock up' when walking. I've been to doctors before who said they think it's nothing; I'll guess my age had something to do with it since I'm only 29 and most doctors like to say "but you are too young for pain!".

There is no redness, swelling, or tenderness. It's really the strangest thing, but entirely debilitating. I spent five minutes crying, trying to cross the street, collapsing as I went, and ticking off a driver that didn't wait patiently for me. I'm afraid that's going to happen again.

I'm going to the doctor on Monday, but I'm wondering if anyone else experiences this? I'd rather not be told I'm 'too young!" to experience this.

2 likes, 17 replies

17 Replies

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  • Posted

    Hi Linaeve, by "inner" ankle to you mean the pain feels like it's deep down inside the joint?  Or that it's on the medial part of the ankle?  

    Note the below are just guesses - not a doc or anything, just someone who's spent a lot of time looking at the ankle joint due to his own injury.

    If the first, then possibly some cartilage damage.  But I think you mean it the second way I mentioned.  There are a lot of tendons there connecting the tibia and calcaneus together, connecting these to some of the bones in the midfoot, etc.

    Look up some images of ankle anatomy and see if you can pinpoint where the pain is.  Some of these tendons may be getting impinged on when you walk, and causing the random pain you mention.

    And don't let the doc tell you there's nothing wrong.  Obviously, there is something wrong.  Don't take being brushed off as an answer and insist on getting whatever imaging the doc thinks will show what's wrong.  Are you going to an orthopedist, by the way?  Or do you have to see a general doctor first?

     

  • Posted

    Linaeve, this sound just like what was happening to me but in addition to my ankle I was having wrist pain as well. Years of intense suffering, lots of bad symptoms, it was finally discovered that I had primary hyperparathyroid.  I went to Tampa and had 2 cranberry sized parathyroids removed and a golf ball sized nodule on my thyroid also removed.  It has been about a year and half since my surgery and I have to take calcium everyday but I only have wrist and ankle pain when I run out of calcium and/or magnesium and need to buy more.  Have your calcium serum level tested and your Vitamin D. If Calcium is over 9.5 and D is off the charts LOW then have a PTH test because you may have parathyroid problems too.  Good luck.
  • Posted

    Hey I know it's been a long time discussing this situation but I suffer the same pain it just happens randomly along my foot and the side hurt so much but I try and not think about it I'm so happy I stumbled on too this website cause nobody believed me I'm only 16 year of age and my parents and siblings and my doctors think I'm just making fibs please reply cause this pain is honestly hurting and nothing helps it just my thoughts blocking pain and it's the pain drives me so crazy it just hurts and I need it out of my life I'm gonna stand with cause your.not crazy and I certainly know I'm not either bro

    • Posted

      Dude I think we are the same person. I'm 16, almost 17, and a few days ago I woke up and my ankle hurt to walk on. I thought I just slept on it weird, and dealt with it. It's not horrible pain. But it's enough to make me say "oh goddd". It's really bad sometimes, and it happens randomly. It's been happening for about 5 days now. The second day, the pain was completely gone. Now ive been limping for two days straight and it seems like no one on this planet knows what it is.

    • Posted

      hey, i’m 15 and a girl and i’m currently going through the same thing. I do a lot of sport which has strained by ankle but this so strange. it won’t be hurting then out of nowhere i’m in extreme pain. as it isn’t constant my parents don’t believe me. I just want to know what’s wrong.
  • Posted

    Hi Linaeve,

    I would run, not walk, away from any doctor that dismisses you ankle complaints out of hand. I assure you you are not imagining the pain, and it follows that where there is pain something has gone wrong.

    Your pain symptoms when walking, 'locking up', and noises are not normal.

    Ankles can be pretty arbitrary things when they are not well-- they are full of intricately meshing bone joints and gobs of fleshy soft tissue all around. Even minor injuries (perhaps you had a very minor ankle sprain some time ago that you have forgotten about) can turn a well-tuned, healthy ankle into a cranky beast.

    At age 29, and only 2 weeks of symptoms you have every advantage to turn this around. You could adopt a 'let's wait and see' attitude like so many people and doctors do, but I wouldn't.

    If you are not satisfied with a doctor's explanation of your condition, or if he/she does not answer all your questions to your satisfaction-- it's time to get another professional opinion.

  • Posted

    Hey i just started having the same thing on my right ankle in the outside i just be walking and the out no where it feels jammed i can't step on it after anywhere from 5-20 min it goes away I'm going to doctor but I'm only 34 so doubt its age lol 

  • Posted

    I know it's been a long time for you was hoping you found out something that would help 

  • Posted

    This is really crazy I am 29 and this has been happening to me for years I never injured my ankles as far as I know but they both give out and the pain is bad to the point I limp at the moment it’s happen but back to normal in minutes. I can find out what wrong it fell like it could be my anterior tibial but it’s hard to tell. 
    • Posted

      Hi Shay142, I an experiencing exactly the same as you, I walk fine then all of a sudden I experience a very sharp pain in right ankle, makes me wince! I limp for a while, not bending my ankle and then it disappears?? Can happen on long or short walks or not at all, very strange but so annoying as I walk a lot. I'm 59 and not had this before. Have you found out what it is yet?

    • Posted

      Hey Susan, no I have not found out exactly what this is and it is very hard to explain to my Dr, I am going to read off all of this to him when I go back and see if he can get an idea of what we are trying to say
  • Posted

    OMG. i'm not the only one smile and i just 21

    I had the same pain you're talking about, very similar. it happened again again and now

    how are you? i do not know how do i heal my feet. sad

     

  • Posted

    Could you let me know if your anke is back to normal, thanks.
  • Posted

    I have the same thing. Dose anyone else get a huge knot in their calf when it happens? 
    • Posted

      i have been having ankle issues for two years. a few minutes ago i had a sudden sharp pain by the inner ankle bone in my left foot. followed by fairly intense calf pain - but on the opposite leg. i don’t know what’s going on but it’s worrying 😕

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