Top 3 reasons you’re feeling knee and ankle pain in the same leg

The hip, knee and ankle are all joints that are responsible for bearing your weight when you walk or stand. Just think about how huge that responsibility is. Now, consider how huge of a problem it would be if you were feeling knee and ankle pain in the same leg. No standing up without pain. No walking without pain. Pain every time you bend your leg. And those are just for starters.

Physical therapists are musculoskeletal system masters, so they know just how vital your knee and ankle joints are. They also know just how disruptive having knee and ankle pain in the same leg can be. Fortunately, physical therapists can help you learn the reason you have pain in your joints. These medical pros can help you find effective treatment for your knee and ankle pain, too. 

The top 3 reasons you’re feeling knee and ankle pain in the same leg 

Physical therapists have an extensive knowledge of knee and ankle issues that can trigger pain. The fact that you’re feeling knee pain and ankle pain in the same leg can help them narrow down that list. A few of the issues that more commonly cause this combo of pain are: 

1. Osteoarthritis — This condition is caused by progressive wear and tear on your joints. Often, repetitive movements you do are a major factor in developing osteoarthritis. Why? They wear out the cartilage in your joints. This can lead to inflammation and joint bones rubbing against each other, which can both trigger pain. Athletes, truck drivers and warehouse workers are a few examples of people who are more likely to develop knee and ankle osteoarthritis. 

2. A joint injury — You might think that the pain of a joint injury would only affect the injured joint. Yet that’s not always the case. Nerves allow pain signals to be sent from the injured area into other areas of the body. Pain that starts in one place and moves into another is known as radiating pain. 

Let’s say you sprained your ankle. It’s possible that the pain of that injury could radiate into your calf and reach your knee. Such an injury could also lead to movement changes and other issues that could also trigger knee pain. 

3. A pinched or irritated nerve — As previously mentioned, nerves allow pain signals to travel through the body. Pinching or irritation of your nerves can be the source of such pain signals. For instance, a person with a pinched sciatic nerve could experience widespread radiating pain. Typically, sciatica pain starts in the lower back, but the sciatic nerve runs all the way down your legs. As a result, sciatica pain can radiate all the way down to your feet. 

Back in Motion offers treatment for people with knee and ankle pain in the same leg

Are you feeling knee and ankle pain in the same leg? You can find help for your pain at a Back in Motion Physical Therapy clinic. Here, you can receive a free screening designed to pinpoint the source of your pain. Then, our physical therapists can build you a treatment plan that’s personalized to fit your specific condition and recovery needs. 

Contact us today for more information about our knee and ankle pain treatment services or to schedule your initial appointment.