Busted my ankle!

S

summer123

0
I sprained my ankle- it was and still is aginy (though not as tear inducing as when it first happened). Its been 2 weeks now and its STILL swollen!
I have assumed its a grade 2 as it still hurts to walk on, its alot easier with an ankle support on. Its also still swollen- though not as badly as it was (I gained over an inch on my ankle).

I cannot run anymore, I cannot do interval training on the elliptical machine as I veer too much side to side and I have to watch it on any other machine- its the sideways movements which bring on any pain.
Its taking me much longer, like 30% longer at the gym. I don't get everything I want done as I only have so much free time, I am worried I will lose my fitness, its been 2 weeks.

I don't want to gain any more weight- I have been watching my food but its so hard as I get just as hungry as before if not more so.

Are there any things I could be doing to try to rectify things? the rule is I can only have my feet move foward and back, side to side will make things worse as this is where the ligaments have torn.


Also, how long 'till this thing stops hurting/swelling goes down?: Doctor told me 'can be 6-8 weeks with some people' but didn't say anything specific to me, advised me to wear the support every day even though its been two weeks already, is this a gradual thing? can I pick up where I left off (ie running, interval training, aerobics) straight after 6 weeks or am I supposed to lure myself back into things?
 
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Hello. Maybe by now your ankle had healed already. One thing learned from this is that we have to be extra cautious in doing our exercises or workout so as not to hurt our body. Proper type of rubber shoes can help a lot. There are rubber shoes for running as well as for cross training.
 
Thanks for the reply.

Yup, its much improved now although still swollen! Not as badly swollen as it was though and doesn't hurt to walk on unless I turn suddenly and put pressure on it to move to another angle but its otherwise fine.

I did want to say though, that it wasn't at the gym that it happened! I was on my way home from the gym wearing flat sensible shoes and on a busy high street which was shoulder-to-shoulder packed. I went to walk down some stairs and I still think there was something under my foot to make it land at such an angle, I went over on the side of my foot when moving down a step.

I still to this day think there was something on the step I did not see and I would never have seen as the street was just so busy and packed.

I think the main thing I will come away from this with is to be extra careful with my ankle- it can reoccur very easily within the next few months.
 
01amberfirewv said:
Has anyone heard of this?



I'd almost be willing to try if I hurt mine again
Click to expand...

It looks like alot of other "risk free guarentee" and "100% this" "100% that" things that crop up everywhere, from weight loss to cellulite removal to stopping smoking.

I have never bought into any of them and I do not think they work- I also do not trust you would get your money back from them either.

A sprained ankle is due to some ligaments either tearing or stretching out of sorts. Fact. Its a problem which needs to recover. Fact. The body is the thing doing the recovery, you cannot force the body to work any faster then it already does. Following the advice given by medics and learning about what you can and can't do with your ankle is the only way to help it along. You cannot speed up the healing, you can only promote it.

If it were possible to speed up sprains, breaks and tears, the medical world would be having a field day- they'd save so much money by simply not needing the beds in hospital anymore- and bed rest would be a thing of the past. How many people do you see around February time with their legs in plaster after a ski-ing accident? People who are wealthy enough to go abroad in the middle of the year, an additional holiday. Those types of people would have enough money to spare for "get fixed quick" things such as this, yet they still remain on crutches....

If there was such as thing as "get better in days not months" then it would already have been known by medical experts who work in hospitals and Universities, they'd be making £millions from the knowledge, not flogging online to a few desperate candidates for a few dollars/pounds.

Don't waste your money! Rest well, eat well and work out how to look after yourself whilst exercising. Exercising meaning keeping moving not just cardio/resistance. There are many physio exercising you can do to help the ligaments recover but it will always be at risk of coming back as the ligaments which have healed will never be as strong as they were before as they are quite simply, younger. Building up the stregnth and flexibility will help and may reduce the extent of future episodes but its a bit more complex then this I think.

When your able to walk, (even with a limp if your as desperate as me!) then you can take on exercises such as cycling, rowing, arm cycle, stairmaster and the elliptical machine all be it on less intense levels. Its important to keep your ankle moving as the scar tissue which forms becomes brittle and can pull on the calf muscle. Its a fine line though between breaking the scar tissue and putting yourself 3 steps backwards! Learn your own pain threshold and what makes things worse, every body is different and what relapse feels like will be different from one person to another so its about *listening* to your ankle and learning what makes it better and what is actually helping.

Its not something you need to pay a one-off website for and I'd bet they wont tell you anything you don't already know or can't find out by asking.

Rest and Rehabilitation after Ice, Compression and Elevation is all the site can advise you- there really is nothing else your body needs or that could speed up the process.
 
I think One thing we have to wise from this is that we have to be additional careful in managing our activities or workout so as not to injure our body. Proper kind of rubber footwear can assist a lot. There are rubber footwear for running as well as for traverse training.
 
ryder100 said:
I think One thing we have to wise from this is that we have to be additional careful in managing our activities or workout so as not to injure our body. Proper kind of rubber footwear can assist a lot. There are rubber footwear for running as well as for traverse training.
Click to expand...

Not only but the correct support/style for the chosen sport and an up to date pair of trainers! I wasn't aware until I had someone explain it to me but trainers have a shelf life. Being made from an air-rubber mix at the soles, the extreme lighting and air-con plus overly dry atmosphere of a store stock room (has to be overly dry as damp clothes would cause illness, mites/fleas and rot) all these add to destroy the rubber the soles are made from. The reduce the oxygen and the rubber becomes hardened with the dryness. The tell tell signs are creases in the side of the sole, harder soles and worse- cracks in the rubber sole! This means they are less supportive and can promote injury, if you have weaker joints of ligaments they are at risk of being injured again given the stress caused by running they'd be one of the first things to go.

Get trainers updated!
 
Hi,

I am a physical therapist. I would recommend seeing a PT to help get you back on track. I hope you are still using ice (even though it's been 2 weeks). I have heard of the H.E.M. course but this person is not medically trained. No one (not even me with 20 years experience) can guarantee you'll be back on your feet in a week. Every injury is different. Get to a PT to get evaluated.

Hope this helps.

~JTrempe PT, ATC
 
Well, its been now almost 5 weeks...I am thinking of attempting running by the end of the week! I have no pain now when walking (it went away a few (2) days ago) and although I haven't tried running I have had some near-falls and not been in any pain following so I think I am good to go!

Still some swelling though but am thinking its just collegen from the tear and will eventually filter away, the main swelling has definetly gone now anyway- I am just amazed I lasted this long without running and on a fairly low greade exercise plan- took me 30% longer to achieve my daily goals but got there in the end- am just so pleased I have the chance to go back to working out properly!

Thanks for all the advice everyone.
 
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