The ankle is made up of the lower end of the shin bone (tibia), the small bone on the outside of the leg (fibula), and the talus. The ankle joint and surrounding soft tissues can cause painful conditions requiring treatment. Pain generators include joint pain from loss of cartilage (arthritis or acute injuries), ligament tears (ankle sprains), tendon tears, and nerve compression. If you have had an acute injury, chronic ankle pain, ankle instability, or progressive deformity, you should be evaluated by one of our orthopedic trained, foot and ankle surgeons.