Ankle Roll

Just wondering what experience folks have had with non severe ankle rolls. Had my first real one a month ago. Was able to go many miles after. Didn't even really hurt til next day. Have done a couple of hikes since, but is still way tender. Wondering what the best thing to do is for a typical sprain of those ligaments on the outside and how much time it's gonna take to get right.

Thanks

RICE = Rest, ice, compression, elevation. I've rolled the same ankle many times while running. Same one every time. Some right over onto the ankle bone. The bad ones swell up like pineapples and are a mess for a couple of weeks. It's the reason I don't wear low cut hiking boots. It still tries to roll on downhill hikes every now and then but the hiking boot keeps it from being a problem. When the swelling goes down, you might try a sprain wrap. Sports tape on the outside of the ankle, above the ankle bone, down under the foot, and up on the other side. A couple of those and then circle the ankle with more tape and that can keep you from rolling it or bothering the recovering sprain. Hope that helps.

I've rolled a lot but mostly not severe enough to cause problems. Twice, the sprain/strain was pretty bad and each of those times I ended up at a podiatrist for a look-over. Taping as shown and discussed works well. The second doctor told me that most other podiatrists would say to stay off the foot for a month or so, but that because I was a hiker I should do what I felt comfortable with. I hiked the following weekend but some sitting poses in yoga classes hurt for a long time. Ther first time I was shown taping, the second time (and different doctor) I was given a portion of streatchy support material in a tube form that he had cut off a roll.

JakeD said:

Taping is difficult to do on yourself... i have taped thousands of ankles and have done it on myself and it's still a pain in the ass.

Erugs i'm guessing the stretchy stuff was a cotton sleeve of some sort. that will help with swelling initially but it won't do jack for support.

(certified athletic trainer)

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You're right. It did help for swelling and now, perhaps because of the extreme rolls, from time to time I will have edema-like swelling (but it doesn't seem related to hiking) and when I asked my primary about it she agreed that the propensity was because of past and not current injuries. She wasn't concerned about another health issue.

Ah, yes, free medical advice on the Internet!

As long as we are all weighing in, stretch it as much as you can, side to side. Practice drawing the alphabet with your foot. Lower case, upper case, cursive, etc.

FWIW (obviously nothing), I've had moderate ankle injuries in the past. I've been stretching for many years now, w/o an injury.

And a real severe one can take months and months to really heal ... I hiked off Mt. Colden on a wrecked and swollen ankle (and five ibuprofens) six years ago, and it ached at night for like half a year. The good news is, whatever it is I snapped in there doesn't seem to even exist anymore, as I can roll my ankle entirely and feel basically no pain at all and just keep on going, now. I think the rest of the things around the joint just sort of learned how to compensate for whatever it is that I used to have holding it together, but don't anymore. LOL

JakeD said:

Peakbagr.. the problem with boots is that they transfer the motion that your ankles are built to deal with up to your knees and hips. Strengthening your ankles is a better option than locking them down and causing issues elsewhere. The fact that it is a chronic problem shows that you have not fixed it.

also ankle braces are much more effective than tape, especially when done incorrectly. the laceup ones with extra velcro straps are what we recommend at the colleges i work with. Even when I tape ankles athletes for games I know that it is only effective for 30-45 minutes. tape stretches, gets wet, becomes loose quickly.

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In July 2011, sprained my ankle (moderate injury) and just took it easy a couple of weeks till it "healed". In September 2011 I had the "big one"--black and blue, badly swollen, but no broken bones. I went to PT weekly for a couple of months and the PT recommended a lace-up brace with Velcro cuff, as mentioned by JakeD. It is called the ASO evo and can be purchased from medical supply stores. The brace allows all normal movements but will stop sidewise turning from going too far. I wore it for a couple of months till winter hiking season, but it was not compatible with winter boots. My ankle bothered me for the next 6+ months but I was using it a lot and I did not turn it again. Now, after a year it seems to be healed and just as strong as the other side.

Don't assume that just taking it easy for a few weeks will solve the problem. Ignore it and you may have a more serious sprain down the road (or should I say down the trail).

All good stuff - thanks. I'll finally get a forced break due to knee surgery tomorrow, but look to be back out on it, most likely wrapped, before the end of the month.

It's weird, the ankle doesn't seem to have improved any since I did it, but it really just aches a little unless I roll/tilt on it in which case I get an electric shock, lol!

Good luck with the knee tomorrow.

mirabela said:

And a real severe one can take months and months to really heal ... I hiked off Mt. Colden on a wrecked and swollen ankle (and five ibuprofens) six years ago, and it ached at night for like half a year. The good news is, whatever it is I snapped in there doesn't seem to even exist anymore, as I can roll my ankle entirely and feel basically no pain at all and just keep on going, now. I think the rest of the things around the joint just sort of learned how to compensate for whatever it is that I used to have holding it together, but don't anymore. LOL

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After a particularly severe sprain or multiple sprains, the ligaments can become permanently stretched or damaged. Perhaps this is why you can now roll the ankle without pain.

Once the ligaments are stretched/damaged, stronger muscles alone may not be able to stabilize the ankle in which case a high boot or brace may prevent further damage. (The boot/brace should not be so restrictive that it limits normal motion--it should just restrict excessive motion.)

Doug

I used to do alot of running descents and have rolled my ankles a few times. My experience is that if its a good roll, even when it feels better, its easier to roll it again. I have alot of miles on me, these youngsters with the trail running shoes I cannot match. I use a stiff leather boot, yes its heavy, no its not as comfortable as lightweight hikers. BUT, I never roll my ankles anymore and on a good day can still do running descents. Good luck with the Knee.
P.S. Contrary to many opinions, Im not in favor of more then a weeks rest, I prefer to heal on the trail. While many will dispute this sytle ( and thats cool ) I have healed knees, ankles and feet while never taking a break

Thanks for all the good ankle advice and the surgery well wishes.

This is quite timely! For the past few years, I have been working at a job that keeps me outdoors a couple days a week, walking cross country.
I have made the switch to low top trail runners for the warmer 1/2 the year, and feel generally that I do better than I might with stiff leather boots for the reasons that JakeD has described so well. Recently, I have been doing a higher volume of walking, and my right ankle peroneal tendons (outside of ankle, behind ankle bone), have been very sore. I walk on sidehills quite a lot, and I feel like this may have a lot to do with it. I am not convinced that for that application, that low top trail runners are then best choice, at least for me. I think that giving my ankle a rest by wearing boots now and again might be a good idea, but I plan to wear trail runners as often as I can. Also, a stirrup-type ankle brace is a huge help when the pain flares up!Thanks for all the great information in this thread!

Thanks! Will try that. Agreed! It as not a natural motion! I am learning to NOT always walk the boundary, but adjust my walk if there is a lot of sidehill.
I'll try the suggestions.

A handy way to reduce ankle rolls is to only hike when the snow is deep enough to keep the rocks under the snow from tipping your snowshoes.

RICE...

but...

First time you've done it? Wow...you are lucky. I was recently in physical therapy for an achilles problem, and my therapist wanted to watch me walk to see my gait. He asked "you every roll an ankle?" I replied "Oh, maybe about 1,00 times...soccer and hiking are my two hobbies, so I seriously cannot even guess how many times I've crunched an ankle." He commented "yeah, both your feet flop all over the place when you walk".

High ankle sprains, turning your foot inside vs. rolling it out, are much, much, MUCH worse.

Yeah, first serious roll. Am tennis player and surfer, have low center of gravity and very strong legs, thick ankles. Most of my injuries have been knees and shoulders. Just had a sixth knee surgery Thursday eve, lol.

JakeD said:

Sierra the problem is no one does rehab for sprained ankles unless they are part of an athletics program that has them do it. ie high school or college.

Like i said before, if you trap the side to side motion of your ankles it will transfer up to your knees and hips. I for one cannot wear boots while hiking because my knees will hurt pretty much immediately afterward. in contrast i wear trail shoes and even though i may roll them slightly once in a while (usually painlessly) my knees are not sore.

people were "built" to have flexible ankles. The problem is people have grown accustomed to wearing high boots immediately when they start hiking so they never build up strength.

:shrug: i guess basic kinesiology is wrong

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Interesting I have never noticed that issue. I tried low cut boots and had horrible results, I will stay in boots, right now I use two, Laspotiva Makalues and Merrils wilderness, to those in low cuts, hey if it works then use it.

I haven't found my higher cut boots to shield my feet from ankle twists. Perhaps I don't tighten them enough? I prefer boots to low cuts because less duff gets into my footwear. Gaiters don't seem to work well with low cuts, except Dirty Girl gaiters which instruct the user to secure them to the back of the footwear with velcro (I think - maybe glue, can't remember right now).

update - did get protocol printout fr knee PT folks
But ...
the real 'healing' only came about when i started using it and even pushing it a little
crazy how lame it felt before exercising and how much better it has started feeling since exercising it (after working thru a lil mild pain)
i guess it like other joints in that once you give it time to heal (8 weeks in my case) it becomes all about recovering range of motion