Ankle pain, very infrequent, unsure of how to proceed.

Hi all

I'm new here, however have been reading a few threads on ankle sprains/pains and wondered if I could get your opinion on mine.

I am a keen runner and 'gym goer' I spend 3 days a week in the gym and 2 running, if I'm lucky, sometimes because of time constraints around work and university, exercise has to take a rest.

Stage 1

I started running properly last summer, bought myself a cheap pair of running shoes and enjoyed it for what it was. I built up my mileage slowly, did various training including hill sprints, maximum effort runs and long slow relaxing runs, I like to mix it up! During one of my faster runs I was jogging down some steps and my left ankle twisted, not by much, but enough to cause a sharp stabbing pain. I cant remember the details of the time but the pain went almost instantly I believe and I continued my run and thought nothing of it.

When I got home I stretched out (I stretch before and after every run), and suddenly a sharp stabbing pain inside my ankle, but as quickly as it came it went too, I forgot about it. Up the next day and it was back, presumably after a night of resting it it didn't like being agitated in the morning. I decided to take it easy, left off the running for a week, and come a week the pain had gone, I continued running.

Every now and then I'd get a sharp stabbing pain when I put my ankle at an angle, but again foolishly ignored it, my cheap shoes had less and less cushioning, if any but it was only painful, like I say when I landed on the side of my foot. As a flat footed runner this almost, if ever happens, I may feel a slight pain when I jog on my toes but that's it.

Stage 2

Then a week I remember very well. I left the house as normal, I had done nothing different, I warmed up slowly as I have always done, stretched out and got ready to leave. Started the run down my road and I was in absolute agony and I mean any weight on my ankle would cause me to bring my foot up instantly and put all my weight on my right foot. 20 metres into my run and I was literally limping home, it was horrible.

I went up to the local hospital, but there was minimal swelling that they could see, he couldn't seem to reproduce the pain like it was, only with my usual twisted ankle, ie turning my top half of my body and leaving the feet planted on the ground, maybe twisting them slightly, but not by much. He diagnosed 'tired' or overstretched tendons and said I should take it easy for a while and do some ankle exercises... Watch some youtube videos!

I went home and did just that, Several times a week now I go through circling my ankles clockwise then counter clockwise and admittedly it did help!

Stage 3

Unaware of my still present ankle pain as it was gone, again, I started running after about a month, I'd stuck with the gym but left out any real weight bearing exercises and taken it easy, anything that involved foot to floor, ever was kept to an absolute minimum asides from walking places I had to go.

I did several runs completely pain free, I was genuinely so happy, but then one day just waling around the house I turned again and felt a slight pain in my ankle, it wasn't much but I remembered it all too well. The problem with it is, is it is so infrequent, I can go for hours, days with now pain, but then just I'll do something and it will come back.

I finally invested in some new shoes!

My last ones had gone right through but as I'd taken a break from running I wasn't sure I could ever get back into it, how wrong I was! Its like a renewed vigour, my times are better than before and I enjoy it even more, this all in my old shoes.

So today, finally, I decided to buy some proper running shoes. I went to a shop had my running style analysed, and spent a small fortune on some shoes with proper support, grip etc. However the deal I've made with myself is I'm going to be serous about running, I would genuinely like to build up to marathon distances within a year, but to get my infrequent ankle pain sorted first, in fact I haven't even run anywhere these shoes yet! I fear I may have left a small problem too long and it could have become something more serious, I'm not sure but I would like to get it sorted for once and for all so I can get back to the running I love.

Points of note:

- The ankle pain is now minimal.

- It is prominent when I step out of bed for the first time, for days on and then off.

- The cold can often make it more frequent

- Once fully warmed up (I tested this as carefully a possible) I can put weight on my ankle in any position and feel no pain,

- So, obviously, there is no pain when running at all.

however;

- Once warmed down, and cooled down from a run, occasionally it may spark up again.

Also;

- Should I go for a few runs in my new shoes to see if they have fixed the issue,

- Or would that be the worst possible thing I could do in this situation? More weight on it.

Finally: My reason for posting is today it has been colder than normal here and after a max effort run last night in a pair of different shoes (to tight, took them back), it has been back on and off all day. I believe the increase in it was due to poor fitting shoes (toes went numb!)

I also understand I have been very foolish in the past, any sprain how ever big or small I would now rest, ice, compress and elevate. I would go back to the hospital or doctors again and if that is the best course I will do, but my doctor, has very little funding and is very impatient, and I doubt he will sort anything out for seeing a specialist etc, and merely tell me to watch more youtube videos.