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Can anyone recommend a quality ankle support suitable to be worn whilst running ?
In the last few months I've gone over a few times on both my ankles and its now effecting my confidence when descending so think its time to try some ankle support .
what ya recommend ?
I had ankle problems for 2 or 3 months a few years back. I use this strapping technique, and this tape, or something very like it. Reusable stretch tape that sticks to itself & not to other things. It stays in place & isn't too thick to give problems with space in running shoes - at least it didn't for me. In practice I found I could use the tape for 2 or 3 runs before having to bin it. It gave me pretty good support.
similar system got me round the Fellsman a year ago despite a very swlooen and sprained ankle. I washed the tapes and used them again and again- mut be stingy! (by the way our Aldi have red and blue versions of the tape/bandage at the mo at very reasonable price)
This was recommended by my physio as the best support available. I had to order it from the US, but it's now on Amazon.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/ASO-Ankle-St...so+ankle+brace
Thanks for the advice peeps. Gonna also look at getting a wobble board aswell and do some strengthening exercises.
Boards are for advanced balancers and can piss you off quickly. A wobble cushion is fine for me as an intermediate balancer, and if you close your eyes it takes it to a new level. I was assured that progressing to closed eyes is the best way to go, as it promotes the growth of sensory nerve fibres in your ankles and accelerates the neural tuning well beyond what the addition of a visual reference will allow. Nerve fibres don't flex like tendons and stuff do, they tear and need the help of a recovery program to rebuild quickly.Quote:
Originally Posted by The Hat
Strengthening, as you put it in your post, has little or nothing to do with avoiding further ankle rolls. The key is to get the muscles recruiting properly and the brain transmitting and recieving information quickly and effectively. If you try a stirrup ankle tape with the tape running right up the side of your calf, when the ankle starts to roll over the tape tugs on the side of your leg and gives you an early warning.
Are wobbles not really for beginners then ?
One other thing to say is that as far as possible I only used the strapping when I was racing, not for training. I wanted to get the muscles doing the support, not the bandage, so I trained without the strapping as soon as I could, but backed off when it hurt, & avoided rougher ground when in doubt. I strapped up for races to maximise my chances in the race, but my objective when training was to strengthen muscles & so help fix the injury.
I went over on my ankle on Thursday. Its bruised to buggery but doesnt really hurt anymore. Im thinking i should get out running again and take it easy. What ya think ?
I think that thinking and doing are two entirely different things.
I was thinking much the same. It may recover quite quickly, or it may take months. It depends what you've damaged. At least take it easy until the visible damage has healed.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tussockface
In my road running days - [SPITS] - I used to find I could run on an ankle that resembled a black pudding on steroids.
However, that only worked if I ran in a straight line. Cornering was dodgy. Off-road running wasn't really an option.
Ankle injuries take much longer than people think, because recovery is about more than just weight-bearing without wincing.
The strength and proprioception take many months, and throughout that time you're at risk of turning the ankle again.
Wait for most of the swelling to subside, then manage the risk by doing lots of exercises and balance work, be very careful in training, and strap for racing.
However, in practice, most people start running again after about a week and forget about it till the next injury. Which is sometimes quite soon.
'Most people' has included me.
I badly sprained my ankle in November and it took me 6 weeks before I was back to ' proper' running, sorry if it's not the answer you want.
I then went through about another 6 weeks of physio to mobilise the ankle and worked on strengthening the ankle and muscles in the ankle and calf.
When I did start moving about once the swelling had gone down, I used strapping and an ankle support, which helped. I've now got a small left ankle support which I no longer use and I hope I don't need again!
This may be pure coincidence, but I haven't once gone over on my ankle since I started wearing very minimalist footwear. I think it's because my feet are flat on the ground, and have no platform to tip off.
- I could be wrong though, it's just a theory!
Zinc oxide tape for me two legths in a U shape up the sides of the ankles and two wraps round the calf.
Only tape for racing.
Yep I have a wobble board and use it.
Plodding has nailed it. A lot less problems with Walsh or X tallon. Mudclaw was never kind to me.
This is not recommended...Quote:
Originally Posted by The Hat
http://www.technogym.com/media/immag...bble_board.jpg
This is recommended...
http://www.fitness-mad.com/files/mad...TYB_EACH_2.jpg
I usually start with some eyes closed balancing, on the floor not the cushion, at around this stage as advised by my physio. 4 mins a day every day. Remember- every time you re-knacker it by going off-road too soon you go back to square one.Quote:
Originally Posted by The Hat
Get a cheap skateboard, whip off the wheels and put it on a piece of drainpipe. :thumbup:Quote:
Originally Posted by The Hat
Broke my ankle twice early last year. 1st time = a rabbit hole, 2nd time was 8 weeks later and obviously my fault for being in a rush to get back on the fells. Found this fella very helpful.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mcdavid-Ligh...d+ankle+splint
Used it in a few races including Ben Nevis. It doesn't seem to restrict running movement and has loads of lateral support.
I still use it occasionally, but now I have no idea whether I need it or not. How can you know?? I still descend like a softy on tussocky ground for fear of another break.
I second OW's recommendation. I tore two ankle ligaments a year and a half ago and after 8 weeks of no running at all, I did my first fell run and later a race using one of these. It gave me blisters though so I didn't use it for very long and swapped to a neoprene ankle support which I think gave me more confidence than actual support. I gave that up as soon as I could and throughout my rehab I did lots of physio exercises and wobble boarding. I agree that a wobble cushion would probably have been better but I'd already bought the board and I have good balance from years of tai chi so I stuck with it. Could do to use it more often.
After years of repeated injuries and associated rehab (ie lots of one-legged balancing exercised) I used to tape my ankles for races. This went on for several years until I moved to Cumbria (from Sheffield) and started running more regularly on much rougher ground and habitually wearing fell shoes. For the next 8 years I didn't suffer any ankle problems which makes me think the answer is strengthening/conditioning the ankle and its associated ligaments, proprioception etc. I guess that the longer you go without repeating the injury, the less likely you are to repeat it!Quote:
Originally Posted by The Hat
Feeling smug about this inevitably led to me turning an ankle on a flat bit of ground in Penrith a couple of months ago and since then I've done it again twice, both times on flat ground when I've stopped concentrating on the terrain!
Heavy build, long legs, weak ankles and flat feet that roll over easily, mean that I often turn my ankles fell running - but not so much now - maybe the tendons have stengthened and i've also lost quite a lot of weight which has helped prevent injury generally.
It does affect my confidence a lot, especially descending - and i just accept this, i suppose - for as soon as I try going faster downhill i usually go over, so better to be slow than out of the race with a sprained, or worse, ankle. It affects my times by a substantial amount though.
I have, though, recently started using zinc oxide tape - right round the length of my foot and up my leg past the ankle. this does give me confidence, but not sure how useful it is - but i think it has at least some benefit. You have to be careful how you put it on or it can cause blisters. I'll maybe try Stagger's method of application, above.
Also, though inexpensive on eBay, you can only use it once. I only use it for races, so it doesn't cost me much since i don't do that many, but it would be different if i was racing every weekend, perhaps.