Our ankles are incredibly interesting joints, which work in a number of ways. The ankle is a "hinged" joint capable of moving the foot in two primary directions: away from the body, and toward the body.
It is formed by the meeting of three bones. The end of the shinbone of the leg and a small bone in the leg meet a large bone in the foot, called the talus, to form the ankle.
The end of the shinbone forms the inner portion of the ankle, while the end of the fibula forms the outer portion of the ankle. The hard, bony knobs on each side are called the malleoli.
These provide stability to the joints, which function as weight-bearing aids for the body during standing and walking. Ligaments on each side provide stability by tightly strapping the outside with the lateral collateral ligaments, and the inner portion of the joint, with the medial collateral ligaments.
The entire area is surrounded by a fibrous capsule. Tendons that attach the large muscles of the leg to the foot, wrap around both from the front and behind.
The large tendon of the calf muscle passes behind the ankle and attaches at the back of the heel. A large tendon of the leg muscle passes behind the medial malleolus.
The peroneal tendon passes behind the lateral malleolus to attach into the foot. The normal area has the ability to move the foot, from the neutral right-angle position to approximately forty five degrees of plantar flexion, and to approximately twenty degrees of dorsiflexion.
The powerful muscles that move it are located in the front and back portions of the leg. These muscles contract and relax during walking.
As you can see, these little supports have a lot more going on than meets the eye. Because each area is so intricate, many different things are liable to go wrong.
While you may have only heard on tendinitis occurring in the arms, it can also form in the legs as well. Tendinitis is an inflammation of the tendon, simply put.
This problem can involve the Achilles tendon, the posterior, and the peroneal areas as well. This condition usually results from trauma, but can result from underlying inflammatory diseases or illnesses such as reactive arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis.
All forms of tendinitis cause pain, swelling, and tenderness in area involved. It can make walking, and working out very difficult.
The onset may be rapid, such as with an athletic injury. Immediate treatment involves immobilizing the area, elevation, applying ice, and trying to rest as much as possible.
You may want to take a anti-inflammatory pain killer as well, to reduce swelling and control pain. More severe inflammation can require orthopedic casting, which is performed by a qualified doctor.
Athletic participation should be limited when the tendon is still inflamed, as there is a significant risk of rupturing or tearing it, especially in the Achilles area, with continued athletic activity. A rupture of the Achilles more frequently occurs in patients who have had previous inflammation in the past.
If you are going to try to workout, try to do something that is not weight bearing, such as riding a stationary bike. This is very low impact, and allow the joint to workout and move, without putting too much strain on it.
If you push yourself too much, trying to walk or run, you could end up with a rupture. This usually requires orthopedic surgical repair, which can be quite painful and expensive.
Chronic inflammation can also cause arthritis, which is a terrible thing to suffer with. These variations can include rheumatoid arthritis, reactive arthritis, gouty arthritis, and more.
Sometimes infections can occur in this area, but they are quite rare. They most commonly occur as a result of bacteria being introduced into the area through puncture wounds, or trauma.
They also occur with a breakdown of the skin, as a result of ulcerations or abrasions. Patients with impaired immune systems such as those suffering from AIDS, or other immune diseases, are at an increased risk of infections everywhere in the body.
Make sure that you keep the foot areas clean and limber, and you work to strengthen them while you workout. Working out on a stationary bike will greatly help to strengthen the area, and give you the mobility these fragile areas need.
Author Resource:-
Ronald Pedactor is a fitness trainer. He has been coaching athletes for more then 20 years. He recommends the bestSpinning Bikes to achieve your highest biking performance.
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.massagebyben.com/articles/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites 