For most people, getting up and out of bed in the morning is the most difficult part of the day, which only makes it harder to do when you hear snapping and popping sounds coming from your ankles. Don’t worry, it likely isn’t because of your “old” age (45 isn’t old, you’re still a young and thriving adult!), but can likely be signs of a more menial problem.
The snapping sound coming from your ankle can be a symptom of many issues, ranging from, as mentioned earlier, age, all the way to a twisted or even broken ankle. All of these conditions can cause your tendon in your ankle to slip over your bone in an awkward way, most likely not causing any pain but rather a possibly disturbing sound.
There is typically one main cause forcing the popping sound you are experiencing: peroneal subluxation. Despite its scientifically frightening sounding name, the condition is rather minor. To better assist your understanding of the subject matter, here’s a brief anatomy lesson: your ankle has two tendons, one short and one long. These tendons assist in the stabilization of your feet, helping keep you standing straight. Both of these tendons are located inside a small grove in your foot’s bone, and if the tendon moves out of this pocket, even briefly, a popping noise will be heard – peroneal subluxation.
It is important to note that this irregular movement is typically not harmful in any way, but if it is painful, you should schedule an appointment with your podiatrist right away. Excessive pain may be the symptom of an ankle sprain or even a congenital condition where the bone’s pocket for the tendons is very shallow. If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment to have any issues looked at, feel free to contact us at Foot and Ankle Specialists of Illinois.
