Torn ankle ligaments help!

[Dr Bob]

Bugger

I made an inauspicious start to my Mercia career last week when I turned my ankle half way through the Ambleside Sports guides race (just in front of the photographer who, thankfully, was looking the other way). The fall was accompanied by a lot of pain and a sickly cracking sound followed by huge ballooning and bruising after I'd finished.

The lovely people at Westmorland General in Kendal x-rayed it for me and it isn't broken but diagnosed it as ligament damage. The swelling has gone down a bit but it's still pretty bruised and most of my lower leg is green, a la Lou Ferrigno.

I'm guessing that this has happened to other runners before. Does anyone have any tips/hints/pointers that may speed up recovery? At the moment I'm trying to keep the foot elevated, ice it regularly, am taking anti-inflammatories and keeping it as mobile as possible without bearing weight.

Cheers,

Bob

ps. Thanks to whom I assume was A.G who pointed the course out at the start.

[moolarb]

I had a similar injury at the Garburn trail race in June. Couldn't bear weight for a few days so got it x-rayed and it was just a bad sprain. The bruising went after about 2 weeks, but it took a while longer for the swelling to go down. I was running again in about 3-4 weeks, and pretty much back to normal training/racing in about 6-8 weeks.

Once I could bear weight, I found that walking helped to ease the stiffness and pain. I was also given some exercises to do by the hospital (flexing foot up/down, left/right, curling toes up, balancing on one leg etc).

Assuming yours is not a total rupture, you'll be amazed at how quickly it heals. Just be careful you don't go over on it again whilst you rebuild full strength and flexibility - that could take several months.

[skennaugh]

I broke various bones in both ankles in a climbing accident 8 years ago. Also did much soft tissue damage. Ligaments can take a surprisingly long time to fully recover. Be very carefull when you start running again.

[Saltydog]

If you go to your local sports injuries clinic they should sell Leukatape. Its white sticky tape (a bit like masking tape). Ask a physio to show you how to strap your ankle so that it holds the ankle secure (so it wont bend outwards). You'll need at least two pieces of tape approx 18" long. There is a technique which i will attempt to descrive here.

Start at bottom of leg in middle above ankle. Take one piece of tape down front of ankle bone, under foot, around heel once and back out same side, then up the other side of ankle bone and back up your leg, finishing the strip of tape, parallel with where you started but about an inch away from it. Apply at least two pieces of tape together, slightly overlapping, as tight as you feel you need it. Your ankle should feel stabilised and unable to bend under itself.

I keep buggering my ligaments in my ankle too (see my latest post as done it again) and it is a problem. Once youve done it, you seem to keep doing it which isnt great news. Strapping it up well is essential if you want to run on it.

I saw an ankle support on the Pete Bland sports shop website which looks good and im going to try one.

As you will see form my post, I am looking for long term advice on ligament damage. My advice above is to tide you over if you want to train.

Hope you dont so it again. Be careful

[Dr Bob]

An update.

My ankle seems to be in a serious way. It's nearly four weeks on and there is still considerable swelling above the ankle bone where the tear has occurred. The bruising has almost gone although there is still a bit lingering around the swelling.

I've been seeing a sports physio privately and we've been working with ultrasound and general range of movement exercises which I think is helping. Unfortunately I've run out of money so I'm now waiting for the NHS! I've been told to keep of it as much as practically possible and I'm still taking anti-inflammatories applying ice on a regular basis.

At best, it's looking like 4-6 months ( ) before I will be running on it again and to say I'm really frustrated is a massive understatement. I'm starting to do stuff in the pool which the physio thinks is excellent for this type of injury - work with a flipper, tracing the alphabet with the bad foot etc. Although you look a right tool, the pool is good because as well as being low impact the water pressure provides a bit of compression and is cold as well.

Before I starting downhill again, I'm going to be doing ankle strengthening/proprioception exercises like mad, that's for sure!

Cheers,

Miserable Dr Bob

[emmilou]

Sorry to hear that Dr Bob,

kind of worried now as to wether I'll be told to stop running??

It sounds as though your injury is in the same place as mine and I too have a swollen ankle almost permenantly, however I do keep running on it. It usually involes a few good metres or so followed by a bit of cursing and hopping about and so on.

Does yours seem to get better (apart from the swelling) when you rest up then go again almost immediately??

I tried swimming as an alternative to running also found breaststroke to be ok on the foot/ankle but when I do front crawl the kicking action with the foot etc I could definately feel a twinge however no where nearly as bad as when running.

I'll give the exercises you mention a go.

Are you doing a lot of standing round on 1 leg yet and wobble boarding or is that not allowed yet?

Cheers

emmi

[Dr Bob]

If it's any consolation to you I think mine is worse!

There is no way I could run on it, even after a prolonged rest/ice session. It was a pretty violent injury, my foot twisted about 90 degrees to the normal and there was very loud cracking/snapping - loud enough to cause people around me to stop and stare!

I'm doing the one legged standing while brushing my teeth with my eyes shut thing. The physio says just keep trying to push range of movement and weight until it becomes uncomfortable. I haven't got to wobble board level yet, apparently the next stage is standing one foot on a non-flat surface, e.g. pillow, cushion.

I've also been told to keep stretching out my calf muscles as they risk getting really tight from lack of use.

I remember reading in Feet in the Clouds about the author's BG attempt with a sprained ankle and some sort of fibre-glass splint. I have to admit that the very thought of that turns my stomach at the moment - I'm clearly not a tough, well-bred fell runner!

Hope your recovery's faster than mine!

Cheers,

Bob

[Saltydog]

Poor Dr Bob

Im in same boat as Emmilou. My ankle is permanently swollen but providing I strap it up and watch where im going I can run on it.

First time i did it about three years ago, I too had horrendous cracking noise, there was no way I could walk on it and I ended up having to flag down passer by and borrow mobile to call an ambulance. (poor dog who was with me had to come too in the ambulance and then wait tied up outside A&E for hours!) - the doc there told me to walk on it, however painful as it wasnt broken. I did it after much RICE it did get better but swelling took forever to go down. Now when I do it (which is very regularly but presumably not as badly as yours) it makes same cracking noise and is agony but only for a few minutes, then providing I dont bend it, I can walk and a couple of days later, run again with it strapped up. Long term id say prognosis is OK therfore for you if you can get it repaired to the slight swelling only stage when it doesnt hurt to walk or run gently. Just give the rocky descents a miss and why not tyr the Pete Bland steel sprung ankle thing. Im going to - sounds perfect for us floppy ankled ones.

Best of luck and dont get too miserable. Keep walking on it and it will get better.
SD