Damaged ligaments in my ankle, need cheering up :(

I had a fall 2 weeks ago and turns out i have damaged the ligaments in my ankle. Went to A+E, had an X-ray (no broken bones) and my ankle had swollen to the size of a small elephants hoof. Swelling is still there. Been wearing a duraboot since and walking around on crutches and the pain is pretty unbearable. The consultant has said i will need to wear the boot for the next 4-6 weeks, possibly longer. Recovery time apparently is “likely to be many many months”, has anyone else suffered anything similar?

So, no biking for me for a while 🙁

Me. Did it whilst trail running last year. Also had the xray as you.

Cant remember exactly but took around a month for me to get back to light riding. It seems fine at the moment, back into cycling and running now.

I did mine in the May and it was August before I could walk normally again. Lots of physio to get there too.

I done mine a year or so ago, bought a Neo G ankle support, which I could get on under my shoes and wore it whilst running for months after it healed. Had a lot of physio and ultrasound treatment on the swelling. My ankle makes great noises now.

http://www.physioroom.com/product/Neo_G_Ankle_Support_with_Figure_of_8_Strap/3121/40716.html?gclid=Cj0KEQjw6cCuBRCh4KrGoJ6LoboBEiQAwzYsdFxd_vKXysj67VCX_1l6K1mo8ivB_AFrHy8Iv9phuOsaAh7k8P8HAQ&gclsrc=aw.ds

Yeah, been there too. I can’t remember how much more it swelled than the pictures below (taken on day three), but think it did go up a bit more…

I came off on the ice riding fixed and didn’t get my foot out of the pedal. My photostream tells me I was walking the kids to nursery within three weeks, and back on the bike pulling a trailer in five weeks.

I seem to remember thinking everything hurt for a two months or so though. I didn’t use any supports, just lots of ice and elevation.

I managed to sit mostly at work for a couple of weeks straight afterwards too. Driving was a bit uncomfortable…

No lasting effects, at all now.

Ligaments 2011

Ligaments 2

Worth getting a second opinion? I hurt my ankle, had x-rays, was told “it’s only tissue/ligament damage”. Got another x-ray, turned out had a fractured calcaneum.

Even if there’s a small fracture, will it make any difference? The swelling and pain will prevent you from going hurdling for a few weeks and a fracture will heal up in that time.

As an habitual ankle-sprainer and having dislocated an ankle jumping off a climbing wall the best advice I can give you is to buy a wobble board and begin using it as soon as you can. They are excellent for stengthening ankles.

Sorry to say this but the damage will be with you for a couple of years so do everything you can to strengthen the ankle.

Already trying to think of ways to strengthen it. Contemplating dusting off my turbo trainer and using that gently for some lateral movement but will definitely look into getting a wobble board. If nothing else the kids would have fun on it 🙂

Yep similar here too a few times, trail running and a mayhem accident.

RICE moving on to MICE, it’ll take a long time I’m afraid, longer than a broken bone in my experience. Try to get some physio if you can.

And second a wobble board\wobble cushion. Use it regularly once you feel able to comfortably. Also things like stand on one leg when brushing your teeth will help build it and your balance\strengt up, but most importantly you pro-proception. Which as I understand it is a lower level reactions to save you doing it in the future, it’s a reaction which happens quicker than your brain can react to and can get damaged.

Good luck

My wife has just reminded me that I whinged about discomfort for a good few months. She said six, but I think she’s wrong 🙂

Here are a couple of pics of a two different times I did mine, ankles are fine now but they took a while to get there. Good luck stick with the wobble stuff.

Catastrophicaly tore the ligaments in my left ankle in a climbing fall. Slightly seperated my tibia and fibia. Bruised up to my knee.

ICE etc but it’s also vital you get physio and sports injury input if you are not to have a recurrent issue. I paid for an Osteopath and was climbing within 2 months (from memory) albeit sore.

Not sure about complete immobilisation for that period of time but he’s the expert. Just take care that most NHS care can be along the lines of ‘if you injured it playing sport then don’t do the sport’.

Ice it and elevate it. Also, see an osteopath once the swelling is down a bit. I really really rate them.

I did mine at the end of March. Very bad sprain and a couple of fractures they just treat the same as sprains. Been back on the road bike about a month or so and did the first MTB ride today. I could ride before this but I was concerned with crashing or having to put a foot down and spraining it again, it just didn’t feel strong enough before.

Lots of calf stretching really helped. As did the wobble board thing, although standing on one foot (the damaged one) with the eyes closed was probably better. Then started hopscotch when the ankle felt up to it.

J.

I did mine at the end of April.
I still can’t run or do anything involving impacts, but after about 10 weeks I was able to do gentle rides.
Seriously frustrating though.