Sprained ankle... Advice?

Hey y'all... So I got really busy this year and took some time out from running, which sucks because I put on half a stone and now have to start from the beginning. Thing is, I have a ballot place in the London marathon and was due to start training the other week, but I was dancing and turned my ankle. I know I should have gone to a doctor, but I didn't... And it's mostly better now but when I try flex the foot/ankle it still hurts a little on the outside of the achilles near the bottom. So I just want to know if anyone can tell me whether this sounds normal and I just need more time or maybe I really should see a doctor. Thing is I have really ugly feet and am embarrassed about showing them to someone... Thanks for reading!

Dancing!

I'll pretend I didn't read that!

Actually it is normal. Keep working the foot but stick ice on afterwards.

BTW, Doctors don't qualify as someone. There is nothing, nothing you could possibly have that would get them to even blink.

You don't have ugly feet. You have feet. Would you look pretty if you were squashed inside a shoe and walked about on?

Yeah. Have you never seen Embarrassing Bodies? Doctors look at ugly, smelly, pus ridden and just generally MINGING body parts all the time. It's unlikely your feet are actually all that bad, in the grand scheme of things.

If your ankle is mostly better after a week then it was probably a fairly mild sprain. Even so, it could continue to be slightly uncomfortable for a few more weeks or even months. What you've described sounds very normal and I don't think you need to see a doctor. If any bruising/swelling you had is gone and you can walk okay, you can try a gentle jog. If it feels okay, great. If not, rest a bit longer. And even once it's healed, you might be able to feel it a bit when running. As long as there's no sharp pain, you should be okay. And like RicF says, icing it after runs for a while would be a good idea to prevent further swelling.

 

I sprained my ankle last Wednesday. Was sent to ae by the boss the next day. Presumably she took pity on me when I hobbled in. Nurse said 7 days off running but should then be fine. Plus to alternate between paras and ibuprofen. Walk normal and flex ankle to keep mobile. Use ice.
Regarding ugly feet, I have black toenails.

I sprained my ankle about 3 weeks ago. Went to the minor injuries unit a day later and was told to continue with the RICE technique and to lay off it for at least 3 weeks. Taking ibuprophen was also reccomended to reduce swelling. It was kinda painful when I went to see the doc, but about a day later I could walk on it fine and even use stairs.
It's hard not to get straight out there again, go running and play hockey when it doesn't actually hurt that much - I mean if it doesn't hurt - I'm fixed right?! - yeah I know that's wrong!
Most of the swelling as gone down and there is just a bit of a squashed golf ball size of swelling just above my ankle. Hurts a bit to fully flex (in the direction of how I originally sprained it) - but I find gently rotating and warming up the ankle helps.
Is it true that I could possibly have a fracture of some kind going on? As there is still swelling? I mean- I wouldn't be able to walk or cycle if that were the case right?
It's the first time I've sprained it, so I'm hoping that the ball thing will go away soon.
I do wear an aircast a60 when training now (so paranoid I'll roll over it again), and a neoprene Vulcan brace when generally walking about.

Oh jodes82 - if you are concerned - go see your doc, they won't judge you by your feet. Bet they are nice anyway.... You should see the state of mine! (Coming from a triathlete hockey player!)

Thanks everyone!!! Good advice

RicF - what's wrong with Gangnam Style?

The thing I love about runners is the willingness - nay, eagerness - to be gross. Black toenails. Ja, I've had a few of them from sprinting down hills in Cumbria 

What Gerry Alexis describes seems to be pretty much the same as mine. Don't think it's worth seeing my GP. I live in one of the worst boroughs in the UK and as a result only have access to a GP who shuts for about 4 hours in the middle of every day and gives out prescriptions like candy without even looking me in the eye. Thankfully I don't have to go often!

I did it about 4 weeks ago and it REALLY hurt at the time but I was able to walk on it straightaway. I started running again a few days ago and cycling. Interestingly the only time it has really twinged since I started training again was at the traffic lights when I had to twist out of the cleats on my road bike 

 

 

 

I fell of a kerb about 7 weeks ago, which was 2 weeks before my first marathon. Two days earlier I'd done my last long run of 24 miles in a decent time, so was pretty well prepared and was (still am) absolutely gutted about it.

My ankle still isn't right, and I can't even contemplate running on it but I've been doing plenty of other exercise. However looking at it, it's still fairly swollen and I get stabbing pains in it from time to time if I twist it or put too much weight on it.

I was originally following the advice of RICE for 2 or 3 weeks, and then contrast bathing and wobble board, for a couple of weeks but am getting increasingly pi$$ed off that it's not 100% fixed yet.

Not sure what to do now.

Redjeep,

Get it xrayed. Your gp should be able to arrange it.

For a bad sprain, seven weeks isn't long at all. I had one that was nine months till it felt 'right' and a couple of years ago my sis had one that she said still gave her gyp a year and a half later. Sometimes I think a broken bone would heal quicker than a whole bunch of torn ligaments...

Yes, good idea to get an X-ray to rule out a break.

Did my first run since the sprain this evening.  Bit of a twinge but not too bad so far.

runs-with-dogs wrote (see)

Sometimes I think a broken bone would heal quicker than a whole bunch of torn ligaments...

Yep, completely agree. Still when I move it in a certain way I get a sharp pain through. But I've been running and cycling every day now since last Tuesday. Seems ok. Definitely think you should get an X-ray, Rajdeep. 

I sprained mine in May this year and it took a good 3 months for it to get better to the point of approaching normal. I still get twinges from time to time but I am more careful now about how I place my feet which I suppose is a good thing.

I read a LOT about how to get things back to normal at the time and the general consensus seems to be that as soon as you can bear weight on it without pain then start rebuilding the strength in the ankle. When it gets sprained the ligaments get stretched and they don't just spring back into place so you have to actively strengthen all of the muscles surrounding the ankle to make sure that you don't end up in a chronic situation where it constantly gets re-sprained. I got a wobble board relatively cheaply and I found that to be really helpful. as is standing on one leg whenever possible (think brushing your teeth, washing dishes etc). 

Other than that you just have to let it heal. By all means try little tester jogs but if it hurts stop immediately and give it some more time. Hope this helps!

PS. Totally agree, a broken ankle would be far better than a sprain.

Helterskelter- that does help.... Thanks! - sporting my aircast a60 at work today. Standing on one leg while I write this and wait for the kettle to boil!

Yeah you do get a good few funny looks - especially when you fall over!!