If you’re getting older, you may have wondered whether your thick ankles have arisen as a result of aging. After all, aging takes a toll on your body, and your calves and ankles are no exception. During your lifetime, you put a lot of stress on your lower legs. So, it isn’t too hard to see why you would associate swollen ankles with getting older.
Why Do Ankles Get Bigger with Age?
A common ankle symptom in older women is edema or swollen tissues. Often, edema occurs as a result of poor circulation. This causes fluid to build up in the lower limbs and, especially, the ankles. If you have only just noticed that your ankles are swollen, edema could be the cause. Sometimes, venous edema will occur in one leg. An obstruction in one of the blood vessels can cause this. Sometimes, it will affect both legs. Hormonal changes, certain medications, and cardiovascular disease can cause this type of swelling. If you never had large ankles and calves before, you should consult with your doctor. This could indicate a medical condition that requires treatment.
Dietary Causes
If your diet has changed as you’ve gotten older, this could be the cause of your thicker ankles. Fluid can build up in the lower legs if your diet is too high in sodium. If your ankles swell but return to their normal size after raising them or resting, this could be the cause. You can eliminate the problem by switching to a low-sodium diet. You should also adopt a healthy lifestyle with more exercise to keep yourself in good condition.
Weight Gain
Everyone tends to put on weight in different parts of the body. Some people are more prone to accumulating fat in the legs and ankles. If you have a genetic predisposition to this, you may find that you have developed cankles if you’ve gained weight. Even if you never had cankles before, you may find that as you get older, they start to develop. This can be because it can be easier to put on weight as you get older. Although you may address this problem by dieting and exercising, this solution won’t always work. It isn’t possible to reduce fat. This means that, even if you shed the excess pounds, the weight may come off from a different area. You may end up with slimmer arms, a flatter stomach, or smaller breasts but still have chunky ankles.
Surgery Can Address the Problem
If your large ankles don’t have a medical cause, liposuction of the ankles and calves can help. By sucking out the excess fat cells in this area, you can reduce the size of your ankles. In the hands of a skilled surgeon, such as Dr. Su, the results can be truly impressive. By sculpting the fat, he can restore your lower legs to a beautiful and toned appearance.
To find out more about whether we can treat your thick ankles with surgery, contact the Artlipo team now.
Dr. Thomas Su, is the owner and cosmetic surgeon of Artistic Lipo. He has led our full-time clinic specializing in awake-only liposuction since 2007. Dr. Su began his medical career in internal medicine, practicing that until 2005, when he began to provide a full spectrum of non-invasive cosmetic procedures.
