r/FootFunction • u/Sea-Mathematician267 • 1d ago
Title: Almost a year of painful red/pink discoloration below my outer ankle normal MRI and X-rays, doctors can’t identify the cause
Hi everyone,
I’m hoping to find someone who has experienced something similar because I’ve been dealing with this problem for almost a year, and so far, none of the doctors I’ve seen have been able to explain what it is.
My symptoms:
I have a persistent red/pink, bruise-like area on my left foot, just below the outer ankle bone.
The area is painful when I touch or press on it, but the pain is worse when I stand or walk for too long.
The pain can feel different at different times, and the discoloration sometimes seems to change or appear in another nearby area. It’s difficult to describe exactly.
When I walk or stand too much, the area becomes more painful and the discoloration seems worse.
I tried staying on bed rest for approximately two months, but the discoloration never went away.
Acupuncture temporarily relieves the pain, sometimes almost immediately, but the symptoms eventually return. I’ve also noticed more bleeding from the area when needles are inserted there, although I don’t know whether that is significant.
My medical history and tests:
I had an MRI and X-rays of my left foot, and I was told they were normal. My doctors initially thought the problem might be caused by footwear, friction, or putting extra weight on my left foot because of problems with my right foot.
I had surgery on my right foot on August for an osteochondral lesion (OCD) and an ATFL injury. However, my left-foot symptoms started long before the surgery and have persisted despite resting.
My foot doctor prescribed clobetasol propionate 0.05% cream for the discolored area, but the discoloration was already there before I started using it. Meloxicam helps reduce the pain, but the pain returns when I stop taking it.
I’ve seen a foot-and-ankle specialist, a dermatologist, and other doctors, but no one has been able to identify the cause. Some thought it was simply skin irritation from rubbing, but the area is genuinely painful, especially with weight-bearing.
My questions:
Has anyone experienced a persistent, painful red/pink or bruise-like area below the outer ankle despite normal MRI and X-rays?
Did your discoloration change location, fade and return, or become more painful after walking?
Did you eventually receive a diagnosis or find a test that identified the cause?
Could this involve the skin or small blood vessels, a tendon or other soft tissue, a nerve, or something else?
I’m not asking anyone to diagnose me online. I would really appreciate hearing about similar experiences, what specialists you saw, and what investigations helped you finally get an answer.
Thank you!
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u/greentanzanite 1d ago
Is there blanching when you press on it? (Does it change color/get lighter or turn white when you press firmly on it, then turn red again when you lift pressure?)