Ailments of the Ankle

The Achilles tendon is the largest tendon in the body. It connects the upper calf muscles to the back of the heel bone. Achilles tendinitis is an injury to this tendon that causes pain in the back of the leg.

The Achilles tendon is the largest tendon in your body. It connects the upper calf muscles to the back of the heel bone. Achilles tendinosis is a condition in which the Achilles tendon degenerates and becomes inflamed. Sometimes, it may also be called Achilles tendinitis.

The ankle is made up of three bones:

An ankle sprain refers to tearing of the ligaments of the ankle. The most common ankle sprain occurs on the lateral (outside) part of the ankle.

The pain and stiffness you feel in your feet and ankles as you age could be arthritis. If left untreated, this nagging pain can get worse over time, eventually making it difficult to walk even short distances.

Chronic lateral ankle pain is recurring pain on the outer side of the ankle often develops after an injury such as a sprained ankle. However, several other conditions also may cause chronic ankle pain.

The high ankle ligaments are located above the ankle, as opposed to the more commonly injured ligaments on the outside of the ankle. These high ankle ligaments connect the tibia to the fibula.

Insertional Achilles tendinitis is a degeneration of the fibers of the Achilles tendon directly at its insertion into the heel bone. It may be associated with inflammation of a bursa or tendon sheath in the same area. 

Osteochondral lesions, sometimes called osteochondritis dessicans or osteochondral fractures, are injuries to the talus (the bottom bone of the ankle joint) that involve both the bone and the overlying cartilage.

The peroneal tendons run on the outside of the ankle just behind the bone called the fibula. Peroneal tendinosis is enlargement and thickening with swelling of these tendons. This usually occurs with overuse, such as a repetitive activity that irritates the tendon over long periods of time.