Have you ever hurt your ankle while running?
How many times have you found yourself hobbling after an ankle injury, desperately hoping the pain would subside so you could resume your run?
This is a big problem for runners, especially those who run on paths or in areas where the ground isn’t smooth and tree roots are sticking out. If you’re not careful, you could end up not being able to run for weeks or dealing with pain for months.
In this article, we’re going to talk about different types of ankle injuries and how to fix them so you can start running again as soon as possible. We’ll also share some exercises you can do on your own if you can’t see a physical therapist.
1. Identifying Your Ankle Injury Type
The ankle is a complicated, complex anatomical structure. It lets your foot move in all directions, allowing you to run nimbly over uneven surfaces.
The downside to the versatility of the ankle joint is that it is also vulnerable to damage if the landing is not what you expected. Landing awkwardly or rolling your foot can cause a sprain, damaging the ligaments on the outside (or, less commonly, the inside) of the ankle.
We can tell you how to strengthen your ankles and ligaments to lower the chance of hurting them. However, even with these exercises, there’s no promise you won’t get injured because the ankle is so complex. Also, other problems can hurt your ankle and feel like a sprain.
Ankle Sprain
If you think your foot hurts because you sprained it, first, you must be sure it’s not from repeatedly doing the same movements.
A sprained ankle happens when you suddenly hurt it, like by landing wrong or twisting it. You might hear or feel a “pop” and then feel a sharp pain. After a sprain, your ankle will swell up a lot and look more significant than usual.
You’ll also feel a throbbing or dull ache in your ankle, even when you’re not standing on it. And if you try to turn your foot in or out, you’ll feel a sharp pain.
Tendon Damage
Tendon injuries, like tibialis posterior tendonitis (inside the ankle) and peroneal tendonitis (outside the ankle), usually cause pain when putting weight on your foot.
They don’t typically cause a lot of swelling or severe pain. Pain from a tendon injury may also radiate down the foot or up the leg (the entire tendon length).
If you’re unsure if you’ve sprained your ankle or injured something else, it’s best to see a doctor. This is especially important if your sprain seems terrible.
A doctor can determine if it’s a tendon or ligament injury, and they might do an x-ray to check for a bone fracture.
2. Research on Ankle Injuries
According to a study by Bernard Marty and other researchers from the University of Bern in Switzerland, foot and ankle injuries makeup 28% of all running injuries.
More than half of these injuries cause pain outside the ankle. Inner ankle pain is less joint, accounting for only 3.3% of running injuries. Marty and his team didn’t investigate whether the most common cause of outside ankle pain is from repetitive motions or sprains.
However, in 2002, researchers at the University of British Columbia found that sprains from rolling the ankle (the most common type) made up about 1% of all injuries treated at sports injury clinics. It’s hard to know the actual number of these injuries because many people with ankle sprains don’t see a doctor for treatment.
3. What Happnes After Twisting Your Ankle?
The ankle joint is complex, allowing the foot to move in different directions. It has strong bands of tissue called ligaments.
If you sprain, you might be able to walk with a limp at first, but soon it’ll swell up and hurt. Trying to keep running after a sprain will be painful or even impossible. One problem with spraining your ankle is that it makes you more likely to sprain it again.
An ankle sprain should be treated correctly because it can help prevent the injury from recurring. If you have frequently sprained ankles, you may develop chronic ankle instability, in which the ligaments are constantly torn or elongated. The cartilage in the joint is damaged.
Chronic ankle instability can seriously mess up your running, so it’s super important to avoid it! That should be your primary focus!
4. How to Treat an Ankle Sprain?
If you sprain your ankle, the first thing to do is reduce the swelling and pain as quickly as possible.The most effective method to achieve this is through the use of cold baths.
A study conducted in 1982 by doctors at the Delaware Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine Center revealed that individuals who applied ice to their sprained ankles immediately could resume exercising after approximately 13 days.
In contrast, those who delayed ice application for 36 hours took about 30 days to recover. Some people might tell you to use heat on a sprained ankle, but this study showed that heat made it take longer to heal—about 33 days on average.
Another study compared using cold, heat, and a mix of both on a swollen ankle after a sprain. They found that cold baths worked the best for reducing swelling.
The recommended cold treatment is to put ice on for 10 minutes, take it off for 10 minutes, and then put it back on for another 10 minutes. This works better than just leaving the ice on for 20 minutes straight.
Using a bucket of cold water is better than using a heating pad with cold water because the water in the bucket presses on your ankle, which can help reduce swelling. Doctors recommend using ice as soon as possible after you hurt your ankle and doing it 3 times a day for at least the first 3 days.
5. Rehab Exercises for Ankle Recovery
A good plan for getting better after a sprained ankle is suggested by Carl Mattacol and Maureen Dwyer from the University of Kentucky.
Here’s what they suggest:
2-3 Days After Injury: Start doing calf stretches and simple exercises to make your joints move better. They recommend drawing the alphabet with your foot in the air. You can even do this while your foot is soaking in cold water.
After a Few Days: Begin doing exercises to strengthen your muscles using a rubber band. Once you can walk without pain, start doing exercises to improve your balance on one leg. You can also practice walking on your tiptoes and heels.
Balancing Exercises: Doing exercises to improve your balance on one leg is important because it helps lower the chance of spraining your ankle again.
Even After You’re Better: Keep doing one-leg balance exercises, especially if you plan to start trail running again!
6. How to Protect Your Ankle in the Future?
Tapping or using an ankle brace is very helpful when you return to running.
Research has shown that using tape or a brace may reduce the risk of future injury. However, those studies focused on soccer players rather than runners. Tape or retainer can be bulky, restrict movement, or cause blisters, so you’ll want to consider whether it’s worth it.
You should see a doctor if your ankle injury does not respond to treatment. You may need a more personalized physical therapy plan or a special brace, especially if you have suffered ankle sprains.
You may also have hidden injuries preventing a speedy recovery, such as injury to the peroneal tendons secondary to sprains and ankle instability.
7. When to Return Running After an Ankle Injury?
According to Mattkoll and Dwyer, you can start running again once you can walk without feeling any pain in your ankle.
You should follow a standard plan for returning to running, which involves alternating between walking and running. For instance, your initial run could consist of 6 sets of 1-minute slow running, followed by 6 sets of 4-minute walks.
After a day of rest, you can attempt 6 sets of 2 minutes of slow running and 6 sets of 3 minutes of walking.
This gradual progression ensures your safety and minimizes the risk of re-injury. Continue with this training regimen, gradually increasing your running duration and intensity until you can run for 30 minutes without stopping.
For instance, you could go from jogging every other day to jogging for two days straight, followed by a rest day. Then, run for three days in a row, followed by a rest day, and so on, until you’re back to your usual running routine.
If your ankle sprain is mild, you can use a more intense running program if your ankle feels okay with it. Start your runs on flat, safe surfaces like roads or running tracks to avoid spraining your ankle again while it’s still vulnerable.
As your ankle strengthens and becomes more stable, you can gradually try running on more challenging surfaces.
