My mother who is in her mid 60’s has had pain and noticeable inflammation in her ankle for several months on the lateral side near the talus bone. She recently saw her doctor, who diagnosed the condition as ankle bursitis. Her doctor recommended an ankle compression sleeve, ice 2x daiky, and anti-inflammatory cream. This seems like an arcaiac recommendation based on my knowledge, but was hoping to see what your opinion is. She is active daily, does some resistance training, and in good shape for her age. The pain is typically dull but present when active or standing, and at times can be a sharp pain. The inflammation hasn’t subsided in the months that this has been present. Thanks for the advice.
Hi there! It’s hard to provide specific recommendations without having a detailed history and exam of your mom. I would be curious how the physician arrived at the diagnosis of ankle bursitis with lateral ankle pain. Generally, we would not recommend “RICE” (rest, ice, compression elevation) as evidence for this is pretty limited. I’d check out this article here for a look into more updated management of soft tissue injuries.