What is an Ankle Injection?
Types Of Ankle Injections:
The following are the most common injections used to provide relief from ankle pain:
1. Injections Of Steroids (Corticosteroid Injections):
Steroid injections (corticosteroid injections) can reduce inflammation and relieve swelling, stiffness, and pain. Steroid injections can provide temporary pain relief but do not stop the progression of ankle osteoarthritis.
2. Injections Of Hyaluronic Acid (Hyaluronate):
They keep the ankle joint lubricated. Hyaluronic acid is a jelly-like material that acts like the synovial fluid that naturally lubricates the ankle joint. It plays a critical function in joint inflammation reduction.
3. Injections Of Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP):
PRP is derived from a patient’s blood and contains a higher concentration of platelets than regular blood. PRP treatment aims to repair injured tissue by utilizing the blood’s natural healing properties.
A few research studies suggest that PRP injections may help some persons with ankle arthritis. PRP, on the other hand, is still regarded as a new treatment. PRP injections are not a common practice.
Why is an Ankle Injection Performed?
Conditions Treated With Ankle Injections:
Several disorders can result in inflammation, tissue damage, and chronic ankle pain.
Cortisone injections may be particularly beneficial for the treatment of inflammatory arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis. They can also treat:
- Anterolateral Impingement Syndrome (ALIS): A condition caused by a physical obstruction inside the ankle joint that impairs joint function.
- Bursitis: Ankle bursitis (inflammation of the lubricating fluid-filled sac between the bones).
- Gout: The big toe is commonly affected by this type of arthritis.
- Osteoarthritis: A prevalent joint condition characterized by the degradation of joint cartilage.
- Plantar Fasciitis: Inflammation of the fibrous tissue (plantar fascia) that supports the foot arch.
- Posterior Tibial Tendonitis: A condition that affects the tendon in the foot that allows you to walk.
- Psoriatic Arthritis: It is a type of arthritis that induces joint inflammation and stiffness.
- Reactive Arthritis: An infection in another part of the body causes this type of arthritis.
- Rheumatoid Arthritis: An autoimmune illness in which the immune system targets the joints.
- Synovitis: Inflammation of the joint lining.
- Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome: It is compression of the tibial nerve, which travels down the inside of the leg behind the medial malleolus (bump on the inside of the ankle).
- Tendinitis: Inflammation of a tendon that connects a muscle to a bone.
- Turf Toe: Sprain of the big toe’s primary joint.
Pain Management:
A cortisone injection takes a few days to act, but it might sometimes work within a few hours. The pain relief provided by a cortisone injection does not endure forever, and its effectiveness depends on the condition of the joint and the patient’s overall health. An ankle injection, in general, can help lessen or prevent pain for up to 12 weeks.
Pain alleviation may last longer when combined with physical therapy or other rehabilitation treatments. Patients who receive frequent injections may realize that the pain alleviation does not last as long as it used to. It is not because of cortisol tolerance but because the joint is deteriorating. You should not receive more than three or four cortisone injections in a year.
How is an Ankle Injection Performed?
An ankle injection is a simple treatment that takes only a few minutes to complete. After determining the injection site, a topical anesthetic is given to the ankle. The medication (usually cortisone and anesthetic) is delivered into the targeted region of the ankle via an injection needle. The corticosteroid reduces inflammation, while the anesthetic drug relieves pain.
The discomfort caused by injections varies. The location of the injection, as well as needle size and gauge, are the factors that can contribute to injection pain. Certain cortisone injections will cause pain. When cortisone is given to a small space, the injections cause the most pain.
What To Expect an After Ankle Injection
After the injection, your doctor will check for adverse effects. Your doctor will advise you to avoid using the affected foot for several days to protect the ankle and limit activities for a day after the injection. Those with occupations that require a lot of walking or standing must usually take a few days off or find ways to avoid putting extra strain on the ankle until the discomfort goes away. Most patients have significant pain alleviation one to two days after the injection.
Cortisone injections can induce a brief increase in pain and inflammation for up to 48 hours after the injection. A cold compress is applied for 20 minutes several times during the day, and Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication, such as ibuprofen, will help with the temporary pain and swelling caused by the ankle injection. After that, your pain and inflammation in the affected joint should alleviate for several months.
