Ankle Injections in Manhattan, NY

An ankle joint injection is a procedure in which a corticosteroid with local anesthetic is injected into your ankle joint. The local anesthetic is used for immediate pain relief during the procedure while the corticosteroid works to decrease inflammation and provide longer lasting pain relief. Corticosteroids typically take 3-5 days for patients to notice any improvement.

Patients who experience ankle pain that has not responded to conservative treatments, like physical therapy, over the counter medications, and RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation), may be a candidate for an ankle injection. During your consultation, your physician will perform a comprehensive history and physical exam, as well as review any diagnostic imaging to determine if you would benefit from an ankle injection.

All ankle injections can be performed in our in-office procedure suite. We use a combination of fluoroscopy (X-Ray) and ultrasound guidance to target the specific area of pain. Your physician may use a contrast medication to ensure proper placement and spread throughout the joint. Once placement of the needle is confirmed the corticosteroid is injected into the joint. The procedure takes less than 30 minutes and there is little to no downtime.

If you are experiencing ankle pain and want to know if an ankle injection is the right treatment option for you, please call our office to book a consultation.

Is a corticosteroid injection in the ankle painful?
You may feel some discomfort during the ankle injection, but we will apply a topical anesthetic to the ankle before administering the corticosteroid injection. Pain relief from the corticosteroid will probably not be evident immediately, but should become noticeable in the coming days.

How long does pain relief from an ankle injection last?
Your experience may vary, but ankle injections performed at Ospina Medical often allow patients up to 3 – 6 months of decreased inflammation and pain relief at the joint. However, you should not get more than 3 – 4 corticosteroid shots for ankle pain in a 12-month period.

Will I need surgery for my ankle pain if the injections don’t provide relief?
Probably not. At our Manhattan, NY office, we believe traditional surgery has too many risks and should be a last resort. If ankle injections are not effective in reducing your pain or you experience diminishing results from too many corticosteroid results, our team may be able to suggest regenerative therapies like platelet-rich plasma (PRP), bone marrow concentrate, or platelet lysate.