Family Casebook: Swollen Ankles

Nov 16 2008 Dr Gareth Smith

THIS week we look at swollen ankles and how to reduce them.

Oedema is the medical name for fluid that builds up in the skin and tissue of the leg.

It occurs when fluid from the blood moves through the walls of the blood vessels and collects in surrounding tissue.

This can happen for several reasons - sitting in a low pressure environment such as an aeroplane is one cause but the most common are high blood pressure (hypertension) or the heart is not pumping the blood efficiently (heart failure).

If you are prone to swollen ankles, there are several things you can do. Wear comfortable shoes that give the leg support, wear tight elasticated stockings when out walking and never cross your legs when sitting down.

You should also raise the foot of the bed higher than the head by putting blocks under the legs of the bed at the bottom.

When sitting, put your feet up on a stool.