Ankle injury going on three weeks! Any advice appreciated please.
2 watchers
Sep 2013
4:12pm, 29 Sep 2013
123 posts
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PerfectOrganism
Hi guys, Three weeks ago today I was out for an 8 mile run with my brother and girlfriend along a grass trail so the ground was slightly uneven. At around the 5-6 mile mark my left ankle started to feel sore and uncomfortable but I carried on with it to the end when the pain picked up quite a bit. I thought that I had just niggled it a little bit and that a couple of days rest would sort it out. It's now three weeks later and it still doesn't feel like it's anywhere back to normal. There have been some days where it has felt like it's starting to get better but after a walk, swim, or cycle or just day to day activities it has always reverted back to painful and not ready for running. I went out for three miles yesterday to see if things would have improved slightly and today it has been really sore. The pain is in the left ankle, and feels mainly around the ankle bone itself and where the foot bones meet the lower leg. However, it also sometimes feels like there is pain just above that ankle bone and in the very, very lower leg. It seems to hurt most when I "push off" on it and this is making me feel that it may be a tendon/ligament strain or sprain. I have been to see my GP as I wanted to rule out a stress fracture. He pushed and pulled my ankle around in various ways and said that I just had a ligament or tendon problem and that rest and ibuprofen should sort it out. But three weeks later and no sign of improvement? Is this normal? I'm starting to feel quite glum. This has gone from what I thought was a fairly innocuous niggle that would need only a couple of days rest to a persistent and ongoing problem with no sign of resolution (and all the accompanying frustration that brings). Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you. |
Sep 2013
4:47pm, 29 Sep 2013
586 posts
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mblnFERCr
What have you tried? Did you RICE? Have you been doing stretches, or mobilising your ankle? Hard to recommend anything without this info 
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Sep 2013
5:02pm, 29 Sep 2013
1,104 posts
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philbo
3 weeks isnt a great deal of time for any injury to heal really , im only just getting back to running after nearly two months out with a sore achilles tendon , time as they say is a great healer , rest will sort it but its going to take time just don't be tempted to run on it too soon, difficult i know ! good luck with it .
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Sep 2013
5:05pm, 29 Sep 2013
124 posts
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PerfectOrganism
Hi. Thanks for your response/. I've basically stopped running completely, but because I don't want to lose my fitness completely I have continued to go swimming and cycling. I'm starting to think that I should just stop exercising completely for a while to see if that helps (I don't think pressing down on the bike pedals is particularly good), but I'm reluctant to do this as it means I'll be fully pressing the reset button! So as far as R goes, kind of, but not completely. Same with I. I've only been icing it sporadically, mainly after I get back from a cycle. I have been applying a bit of pressure with the ice, but have not been wearing a support or anything like that. And I haven't really elevated it either. Pretty poor show from me really! I have been trying to keep my ankle moving, for example if i'm sitting down I'll rotate it, point it forward and pull it backwards etc, but I don't think I know any specific ankle stretches. One thing I have been doing to try and strengthen it is to balance on one foot for a minute. I'm also not sure if the bone above my ankle bone on the outside is tender to the touch or not. I seems to ache a little with some pressure but is certainly not excruciating. |
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Sep 2013
5:12pm, 29 Sep 2013
587 posts
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mblnFERCr
The best way to guard your fitness is to get back as soon as you can. You do this most effectively by healing the injury. Bite the bullet and go see a physio - at least you'll know what you're dealing with. Then make sure you do the exercises they recommend - that's the free bit I would support it myself - I get good results from this personally - you say even day to day activities can cause pain, the support should prevent this. |
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Sep 2013
5:18pm, 29 Sep 2013
1,105 posts
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philbo
Does sound like you've overstretched the Tendons in your ankle ( quite a few in this area ) sometimes a little heat can help gets the blood flowing to the damaged area, maybe try a cold/heat pack the ones you can put in the microwave or freezer, i always have one in the freezer for when injury strikes ( too often ) the ankle can be a difficult joint to heal , blood flow in this area is not great hence slow healing.
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Sep 2013
5:49pm, 29 Sep 2013
128 posts
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PerfectOrganism
Thanks guys, much appreciated! Philbo, that was a great snippet of information about the three weeks not being a long time and has made me feel a little better. FER, I'm going to see if I can buy a support of some kind tomorrow. I'm going on holiday for a week on Wednesday. If by the time I come back there is no further improvement then I'll go and see my doc again to see if I can get an X-Ray to rule out a stress fracture. Then I'll get a physio appointment. Got to get it better! Thanks again. |
Sep 2013
5:57pm, 29 Sep 2013
13,254 posts
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MissChappo
I've had what sounds like a very similar injury for about 2 months. I'm ashamed to say I haven't been to the doc. I'm going on Weds finally. I've tried resting (but with cycling and swimming) and wearing a support bandage. It comes and goes but it doesn't go away.
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Sep 2013
6:17pm, 29 Sep 2013
588 posts
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mblnFERCr
You could have a physio appt. before you go, and be doing the exercises while you're away - maybe even come back fixed.... just saying
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Sep 2013
6:34pm, 29 Sep 2013
3,102 posts
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SharonD
A physio or sports therapist will have a much greater insight into ligaments, tendons, muscles than a GP. Physios/sports therapists, especially those that run themselves have specialised in what they are looking at. A good GP would refer you to a physio for this very reason....the quicker the better;-)
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