Ankle pain

To help ease ankle pain, you can rest and raise your ankle, ice your ankle regularly, and wear wide comfortable shoes with a low heel and soft sole.

You can get ankle pain from overexercising or wearing tight shoes. A sprained ankle, Achilles tendonitis and bursitis can also cause ankle pain.

Ankle pain is often caused by exercising too much or wearing shoes that are too tight, but it can be caused by lots of things.

Do not try to diagnose the cause of your pain yourself.

If you think you may have broken your ankle, do not try to treat it yourself. Contact NHS 111 to find out what to do.

You may be able to treat the pain yourself if your ankle isn't broken.

• rest and raise your ankle when you can

• put an ice pack (or bag of frozen peas) wrapped in a towel on your ankle for up to 20 minutes, every 2 to 3 hours

• wear wide comfortable shoes with a low heel and soft sole

• use soft insoles or heel pads in your shoes

• wrap a bandage around your ankle to support it

• try regular gentle stretching exercises

• use painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen gel (or ibuprofen tablets if needed)

• do not walk or stand for long periods

• do not wear high heels or tight pointy shoes

You can ask a pharmacist about:

• the best painkiller to take
• insoles and pads for your shoes
• if you need to see a GP

• ankle pain is stopping you doing normal activities
• the pain is getting worse or keeps coming back
• the pain has not improved after treating it at home for 2 weeks
• you have any tingling or loss of feeling in your foot
• you have diabetes and foot pain – foot problems can be more serious if you have diabetes

Refer yourself for back or joint help

In many areas you may be able to get help, such as physiotherapy, from NHS community musculoskeletal (MSK) services without needing a referral from a GP.

Get NHS help for back or joint problems