Ankle pain

[salsaqueen99]

Hi Karen,

I am feeling pain on the outer side of my ankle near the knuckle. It feels like there is a tendon or ligament there. I don't recall twisting my ankle but I remember after I stopped dancing it hurt quite a bit. I was actually very silly as I was not wearing my dance shoes which normally give me support. I was wearing open toed sling back platform sandals. Stupid I know.

What aggrevates it is if I walk around too much in shoes. I thought I could wear my sneakers but that doesn't really seem to help either and they are quite an expensive pair of shoes. I also have feet which naturally roll inwards. What eases the pain is by icing, elevating my ankle and not over doing anything. A warm bath seems to also help. I have tried taking the voltarin tablet which has not helped at all. I have poor tolerance to nurofen because it upsets my stomach but I am considering taking some straight ibuprofen. What also helps is a sports gel cream which I use and it is a homeopathic formula. The voltarin cream does not ease the pain at all. I also forgot to mention that using a bandage to try to take the strain off my ankle also helped. I can't use tape because I'm allergic to it.


I am getting a little frustrated because it has been almost two weeks since I hurt it. I am considering to go and start swimming which I hope will allow me to keep up my fitness level. Any suggestions will be most helpful. I have been given some exercises by the physio like standing on one leg with my eyes shut and my head tilted back, and an exercise using a rubber band where my I push my feet to the side (is it called dorsi flexion?).

Your help is much appreciated.
Angie

[karen.hankey]

Angie,

It sounds like you have injured your Anterior Talo-Fibular Ligament (ATFL) which lies from the outside ankle bone, downwards and inwards. It resists inversion (turning your foot in) and you generally injury it when you twist your ankle.

Have you twisted your ankle in the past?

Have you actually had any physical treatment from the physio? I would do DTF's on the ligament and peroneals if they ate tender to the touch. The exercises he has given you are the correct ones, but of no use if they are making you worse. Do the exercises hurt to do them?