This section focuses mainly on ankle pain. Pain is considered in terms of where the patient feels pain and what structures are in that area, the type of pain, and the presence of other related complaints.

Many patients with ankle problems either have an acute injury or date their symptoms to a specific injury or recurrent injury. There is some crossover between acute and elective problems in the ankle. The pages beginning with "I've injured my ankle" discuss the assessment of the acutely injured ankle.

Probably the next commonest ankle symptom is giving way. Although these patients often complain of pain or swelling too, the symptom of giving way or weakness may be prominent enough to need a section on its own.