[Dog Welder]

I sprained my ankle a year ago...but not in the normal fashion where it twists to the side, ie. playing basketball, tennis etc. Basically I was moving forward and planted my left foot. Foot stayed planted but I could feel my ankle still move forward. I wasn't the most painfull sprain but it was REALLy stiff every morning for like a month. Now its really weak front to back...ie if I only have the ball of my foot on the pedal and I land a big drop, my ankle will fold and my toes or front of the foot will move closer to my shin than normal.

I've been told that I can take Glucoseamine, a ligament rebuilder..but if it does work I would have to basically take it for the rest of my life, something that really doesn't excite me. Are there any other excersizes that I can do or supplements that I might be able to take? Normal ankle braces don't work for me because they all address the normal sprains which are the twisting type, not the front to back type.

 

[TimothyL]

go see a doctor.guessing about whats wrong and taking stuff when you dont even know whats really going on is not real cool.It could be something that is realitively minor.I messed my foot up about 6 months ago and instead of going to a Podiatrist I just took some Percodan and hoped for the best.BIG MISTAKE.It got worse and I ended up wearing one of those boots for a couple of weeks.I had a torn ligament.Wish you the best.

 

[JMAC]

A while ago near a year now i somehow got my foot behind the other fell over and ripped all the tissue in my foot to shreds and than i sprained it really bad doing a drop. It hurt like crasy and i could bairly move it and i keeped re spraining it so i stopped doing freeriding and stuff that always messed it up and did alot more XC it's taking about a year to heal but now it's good again.

I'd suggest that you see a doc and take some time off from doing stuff that bothers it.

 

[mrbigisbudgood]

Your miracle drugs or whatever they are are bogus. It's pretty darn tough for your body to rebuild ligaments. It'll typically just close up the damage and move along.

Go see a doc, have your x-rays and find out EXACTLY what it wrong. Once you find that out, your next step is to build muscle to compensate for the internal injury.

I also have a jacked up ankle and knee. I had problems for years, until I started riding a road bike. I still have moments, like when the weather changes severly.

You'll live with this for the rest of your life, you'll just have to find ways to deal with it. GO SEE AN ORTHOPEDIC !!!!!!!!!

 

[BMXman]

I thought you already went to the doctors...what are you wating for? That should have been the first step...how can you treat something if you have no idea what it is?.....stubborn Chinese mentality...we talked about this before...go see the doc!.....D

 

[Spud]

Your bum is now connected to your ankle? Must be quite a sprain!

 

[Dog Welder]

Originally posted by BMXman
I thought you already went to the doctors...what are you wating for? That should have been the first step...how can you treat something if you have no idea what it is?.....stubborn Chinese mentality...we talked about this before...go see the doc!.....D

No insurance blows....I somehow looped out while manualling a curb and when my foot came down it tweeked the ankle again. Might just have to bite the bullet and go.

I got x rays for it when i was in china but I don't think xrays will be able to show soft tissue damage.

 

[Jorvik]

Wish I caught this thread sooner.

I will try to impart unto you my knowledge of ankle sprains which I have suffered through for the past 2 years. I've had my ankle sprain every which way it can. Here we go.

PRICE - Prevention, Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation. Do it. Do it every day. You will thank yourself next year, trust me.

Buy an ASO ankle brace. Here's a link
This ankle brace will take care of the fore-aft play like a good taping by an athletic trainer. You'll have to experiment with the lacing tightness for a week or so until you can find the perfect medium of tightness where it doesn't block off your blood flow, but it gives adaquate support.

You WILL have to wait until the pain and swelling subsides to do anything agressive with your ankle. If you don't, you'll injure yourself more. Trust me. Give it time...

Check in with an orthopedist, have them take a look at your ankle. More X-Rays are always better. You probably don't have a fracture, but X-Rays CAN show soft tissue damage. Not by showing the actual soft tissue, but by showing the bones out of place. Have the orthopedist recommend either some excercises you can do, or have him recommend a physical therapist (they usually have one close at hand). Do these excercises! If they can hook you up with STIM treatment (electrical shocks which help bring swelling down, break up scar tissue, and otherwise help you out) , go for it and don't skip any appointments.

KEEP ICING IT DAMMIT! Especially after any extended period of use of the ankle. 20 on, 20 off. Don't use any heat, regardless of what your mother says. Heat is a No-No for ligament/tendon injuries.

Make sure you rehab that baby right, otherwise you'll be feeling it for the rest of your life.

After a while of using your ankle brace, you need to start weaning yourself off of it, otherwise your ankle will never be as strong, as it will be depending on your brace.

I'm Anti-Glucosamine, a good rehab program will help get your ankle in as good shape as it will ever get.