The Whys and Hows of Posterior Ankle Impingement

Posterior Ankle Impingement

Foot Problems can give us an uncomfortable feeling and eventually lead to deterioration of our health. This can be caused because of Posterior Ankle Impingement (PAI).

Impingement is a medical condition where the bones start to pinch the surrounding areas of the soft tissues which can cause pain as well as inflammation of the soft tissues.

Posterior Ankle Impingement also known as PAI is a medical condition where the impingement of the soft tissues occurs at the back or posterior side of the ankle. The most common cause for this is the ankle bone (talus) as well as the extra ankle bone, known as the Os trigonum.

Symptoms of Posterior Ankle Impingement:

The common symptoms of PAI is the pain caused in the posterior ankle part. Additional symptoms can also include:
Tenderness, Swelling and bruising (contusion) in the posterior ankle a long with pain.
Pain during running, jumping or walking down stairs or hills. Pain can also be caused while standing on the toes.
Pain can also be due to plantar flexion and is commonly observed with ballet dancers and gymnasts.

Main Causes of Posterior Ankle Impingement:

The Posterior Ankle Impingement is generally caused by the soft tissue that is regularly being pinched between bony structures while resulting into adverse symptoms. Below are some of the major causes:

Direct trauma to the heel
Repetitive stress full plantar flexion

In order to cure PAI one must get immediate medical attention.
You can also perform different foot exercises that may help in providing relief for such an issue.