Ankle Injury - Rehab advice - the next steps

[Tucky4]

Hi,

I injured my ankle playing football just over 5 weeks ago. I just went over off the ball - I was jogging backwards, I turned to accelerate and went over on the outside of my foot.

I have been very sensible, resting for the first week or two, doing some mobility and stretching, swimming without kicking.

I've stepped it up, riding on my turbo trainer on the bike, and swimming normally. I feel I can ride as powerfully as I normally would, but am still slightly cautious in the pool when pushing off the wall. This weekend I done a kettlebell session, mainly pretty static but with a few lunges and squats.

All of this has been pain free, but after exercise my ankle gets pretty swollen. It's not painful, but a little sore. I think my ankle is generally more swollen than my 'good' ankle even without exercise.

I feel like I'm getting to the point where I can start running again (on the treadmill or on astro - gentle strides).

Should I be cautious and wait till the swelling has completely gone before I move on to running? Should I run if it feels okay? Should I take a backward step and scale it right back until fully healed?

Advice please for a frustrated triathlete who is retiring from football again!

By the way, I'm in Beijing hence not seeking any advice/treatment/consultation.

Thank you for any advice you can offer. Adam

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[toddchaney]

You can try proprioception exercises and other balance exercises to recover more quickly.
By balancing on one leg, you can reinforce and strengthen the receptors in the ankle. So, balance on the affected leg and hold steady for 15 seconds. Continue to challenge your ankle by balancing with your eyes closed, or with your head turning from side to side.