About blue ankle

Blue ankle

The mobility of our body, especially the extremities, will be impossible without the flexible joints. When the joints are affected by some condition, it can be quite painful, and in such case we cannot move the part of the body where the joint is harmed. Among the most important joints in our body is the ankle which joins the leg and the foot. When we experience blue ankle, it can be due to many reasons, so it is important to know what the causes of this condition are in order to treat them promptly and properly.

Causes and treatments for blue ankle

An ankle may become blue when it undergoes some type of injury, like fracture and sprain. These two ankle injuries are quite common in those people who are engaged in some sports and their treatment should be prompt. The blue ankle caused by these injuries is also swollen and painful. It is recommended to rest the leg in an elevated position and to apply the cold compressions to the ankle. A doctor should be consulted in cases of torn ligaments and tendons, as well as when the bone is fractured.

The blueness of the ankle may appear due to reduced blood flow to this area in the people who have diabetes, because when the blood flow is decreased to the ankles, there is not enough oxygen and the ankles, as well as the feet, become blue and cold. In such cases, the feet and the ankles should be kept worm and diabetes should be controlled.

Coagulopathy is also among the responsible causes for the occurrence of the blue ankle and it refers to the condition when the blood does not coagulate normally but either too slowly or too rapidly. This condition should be treated immediately by eliminating the cause of the coagulopathy, usually by clotting factor transfusion.

Peripheral vascular disease caused by the blocked blood vessels in the peripheral parts of the body may lead to the incidence of the blue ankle accompanied by constant pain and numbness. This condition is usually treated with certain medicines, but in some severe cases even surgery is necessary.

Venous insufficiency may also lead to the occurrence of the blueness of the ankle when the veins in the low extremities are not able to pump the blood to the heart, so it builds up in the feet and ankles. In most cases, a surgery is performed to treat this condition.