Dont Let Pain Under Your Ankle Stop You
Foot Pain Under Ankle: Diagnosis, Causes & Best Home Treatment
The top causes of foot pain under the ankle include: #1 posterior tibial tendonitis (inside of the ankle) and #2 peroneal tendonitis (outside of the ankle)!
What Causes Foot Pain Under the Ankle? Understanding the Problem
Foot pain under the ankle is a common complaint that can affect your daily movement, especially when walking or standing. This pain may stem from conditions like posterior tibial tendon dysfunction (PTTD), tarsal tunnel syndrome, ligament strain, or even stress fractures. It’s often associated with overuse, flat feet, trauma, or poor foot alignment. The pain can range from mild and achy to sharp and debilitating. Proper diagnosis is key to treating the underlying issue, which may involve physical therapy, custom orthotics, anti-inflammatory treatments, or in some cases, surgery.
Foot Pain Under Ankle
There are many types pain in this area- follow our guide whether it be front, inside, outside or back of the ankle pain.
Foot Pain Under Ankle: Best Diagnosis and Treatment Foot Pain Under Ankle: Best Diagnosis and Treatment in 2025!
Stop Suffering from Ankle Pain—Get a Professional Diagnosis Today
If you’re dealing with persistent foot pain under the ankle, don’t wait. The podiatry team at Balance Foot & Ankle Specialists in Michigan offers expert evaluations and customized treatment plans to relieve your pain and restore mobility. Book your consultation today and take the first step toward recovery.

Best Heel Pain Products:
- There are usually two phases to treating plantar fasciitis pain.
- The two phases of treatment include controlling the acute inflammation, and correcting the biomechanics which led to the problem in the first place.
- If the tendons and ligaments are inflamed, they are almost frozen in place and cannot function properly.
- Once the inflammation is decreased, we need to correct the bio-mechanical causes to ensure that they can never become over worked and inflamed again!
- This doesn’t matter whether it’s plantar fasciitis, plantar fibroma, sore bottom of foot, or even Achilles tendon pain. Treatment is all roughly very similar.
Plantar Fasciitis or Achilles Tendonitis Inflammation:
Massage & Ice Products:
- Ice is the an excellent option that can be safe for almost everyone.
- There is some debate whether icing is worth doing, but for chronic pain this can help limit the need for medications and keep your options open.
- This works great for your arch, less for the ball of the foot.
- The more muscle and ligament tissue there is, the better ice will work there.






Menthol Based Gels:
- Biofreeze is one of our favorites.
- These gels have been studied to work 2x as long as ice.
- This works great for the ball of the foot.
- This can be very effective for bottom of the heel and Achilles tendon sore regions.








Massage Sticks:
- These can work great for loosening your muscles.
- This allows less tightness and pressure on the ball of your foot.
- This is very effective for the arch, the gastrocnemius or calf muscle and for the hamstring and thigh muscles.
- This also works very well for the gluteus muscles if you are having butt cheek or hip pain.






Remove the Plantar Fascia or Achilles Tendon Stress:
- The key is to prevent future pain.
- This means keeping you active while keeping stress off of your plantar fascia tendon. This will prevent future re-injury and development of plantar fasciitis.
- If you can get rid of the pain and swelling, this will let you start walking normally.
- If you can walk normally, the vast majority of your pain should gradually start to go away.
- The best way to ensure that your plantar fascia, foot and ankle ligaments are not overworked is to support them.
- The best way to support them is to use great orthotics and great shoes.
- Some people may also need to rely on supportive ankle braces and other supportive modalities.
The Best Heel Pain & Plantar Fasciitis Shoes:
- Getting a great supportive pair of shoes will make sure that there is pressure removed from the heel and plantar fascia region.
- This is especially important if you have plantar fasciitis, heel spur pain or Achilles tendonitis.
- Consider shoes combined with a good supportive orthotic for best pain relief!
- The following link will show you what our favorites are.
Best Heel Pain & Plantar Fasciitis Orthotics:
- These are our recommended orthotics for plantar fasciitis.
- Custom orthotics can work very well, but they should not be a first line of treatment.
- There are different types for different shoes.
- Women’s shoes usually need a less bulky orthotic, but allow for less correction.
- A full length orthotic requires a running shoe, boot or comfortable walking/dress shoe.
- We recommend doing everything you can to get a good supportive shoe that can fit a full length orthotic.
- This is the best way to maximize your orthotics for great results.
Click this link for the best podiatrist recommended orthotics!
Best Full Length Orthotics:
- These will only work in wider shoes or a good supportive running shoe.
- This will not work in sandals, flats or most women’s dress shoes.








Best Dress Shoe Orthotics:
- These are a great choice for dress orthotics.






Best 3/4 Length Orthotics:
- These are great options for women’s dress shoes and thinner shoes.
- These are not the most supportive pair of orthotics.


Get A Great Dynamic Stretch:
- It is possible to stretch on your own, but these products can also really help!
- This will take pressure off of the ball of your foot.
- We personally prefer this method of stretching.








Get A Great Static Stretch:
- These devices are great for stretching while you are resting.
- This will also help take pressure off of the ball of your foot.
- This works great for plantar fasciitis.
- It can be used while watching TV or at night time.






Best Heel Compression Brace:
- A good compression brace can stabilize your foot from turning outward.
- This prevents your foot from pronated.
- Pronated foot will turn your foot outward in your foot will rub on the outside of the shoe.
- For many of her patients this has solved their pain and is very comfortable to wear inside your shoe.
- This solves both pain and outward pronation for a relatively low cost.




Best Heel Stability Brace:
- Stability brace goes little bit further than the compression brace to stop your foot from turning out.
- This takes pressure off of your heel and plantar fascia.
- At the same time this is a little bit bulkier and does not affect every shoe.
- We find people are little bit happier trying the compression brace before the stability brace.






Heel Injury:
- If you think you might have a broken heel, a calcaneal stress fracture or something of similar severity, these products might help!
- Always remember to see a foot and ankle specialist like a podiatrist if you are having plantar fasciitis or more severe pain!
Plantar Fascia Tear, Broken Heel Bone, Achilles Tendon Tear:
- If you have a traumatic injury such as a torn plantar fascia ligament, calcaneus stress fracture, heel fracture or insertional Achilles tendon injury: consider protecting your foot!
- The best way to do this is of course to see your podiatrist and get evaluated with an x-ray, ultrasound and potentially even an MRI or CT scan.
- If you are unable to do so it may benefit you to be in a cast, fractured boot, or even keep the weight off of it with a rolling knee scooter or other protective devices.
- We as podiatrists frequently take patients off work for very long period of time when they suffer a traumatic injury, unfortunately there is no other way around us in labor jobs.
- If you have a sit down job there are ways to get people back to work quicker, but this can be very difficult otherwise.
Heel Injury Boot Treatment:
- There are pros and cons to using a boot to treat your heel injury. If you are immobilized too long the cons are that you will gradually become stiff and overworked to your other leg. The Pros are that you injured heel will hopefully have a chance to gradually heal!
- Our favorite fracture boots and their supplies:








Offloading and Scooter treatment:
- These are favorite knee scooters and walking devices:









Most Likely Causes
1. Outside of the Ankle:
This is easily the most commonly injured area in the ankle and perhaps even the foot. This can not only lead to pain in the outside of the ankle, but also along the entire outside of the foot as the 5th metatarsal is very easily damaged.
This includes:
- Inversion ankle sprain pain.
- Peroneal tendon pain
- Sinus tarsi pain.
2. Front of the Ankle
This area can very easily be damaged and just become sore from forcefully extending the foot down or up. This is very common in gymnastics, but it can also get sore in many runners and other athletics.
The most common causes of pain in this area are:
- Tibialis Anterior Tendinopathy.
- Anterior Impingement.
- Anterior Shin Splints.
- Inferior Tibiofibular joint injury.

3. Inside of the Ankle:
These causes of pain are not usually due to an ankle sprain like the outside of the ankle. This type ofhttps://www.michiganfootdoctors.com/menuanklepain/medial-ankle-pain-2/ pain is more due to flat foot, obesity and nerve pain.
The most common causes of pain in this area are:
- Tibialis Posterior Tendinopathy.
- Flexor Hallicis Longus Tendinopathy.
- Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome.

4. Back of the Ankle Pain
The most common types of pain in the back of the foot are:
- Achilles tendinitis.
- Haglund’s bump.
- Radiating pain of tarsal tunnel syndrome.

5. Entire Ankle & Leg On One Side:
If the entire ankle & leg on one side hurt without any normal cause, consider a deep vein thrombosis.
Associated Conditions
- Flat Foot
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Foot Pain Under Ankle – Frequently Asked Questions
Common causes include tendonitis, tarsal tunnel syndrome, arthritis, and stress fractures.
Yes—flat feet can strain the posterior tibial tendon, leading to pain in this area.Yes—flat feet can strain the posterior tibial tendon, leading to pain in this area.
A burning or tingling sensation may signal nerve compression, such as tarsal tunnel syndrome.
Rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE) can help, but lasting pain should be evaluated by a specialist.
A podiatrist may use physical exams, imaging (like X-rays or MRI), and gait analysis.
In many cases, orthotics can help support your arch and reduce stress on painful areas.
Yes—scar tissue or joint instability from previous injuries can contribute to recurring pain.
Supportive, cushioned shoes with good arch support are ideal. Avoid flat or worn-out footwear.
In severe or chronic cases, surgery may be an option to repair damaged tendons or decompress nerves.
A podiatrist is a foot and ankle specialist and is the best starting point for this type of pain.