Ankle Injury?

[dela]

I am in the indoor season right now (new artificial turf) and rolled my ankle pretty bad in a game last week Wednesday. Like an idiot, the adrenaline told me that the ankle was okay once I walked it off for a bit, so I went back into the game and played on it. I don't need you all to tell me how gosh darn stupid that was! ;)

Immediately after the game the ankle swelled up to the size of about a half an apple, so I iced it when I got home. The next morning it developed into the size of about half a grapefruit. No black and blueness though, and I've seen and experienced enough injuries in my 24 years of playing this game to know that nothing is broken... just a bad sprain, if you will.

Well, I have an important match coming up on Saturday (today is Tuesday). The swelling is now completely down and I walk & run on it fine, but I get a bit of pain when I point my toe straight out and it feels weak in one area. Plus, if I'm not icing it I have it wrapped. Luckily is is NOT on my favored foot.

What can I do to get this thing ready in, say... 5 days??? Any thoughts on good first-aid and reconditioning techniques?

[jammybastard]

I am in the indoor season right now (new artificial turf) and rolled my ankle pretty bad in a game last week Wednesday. Like an idiot, the adrenaline told me that the ankle was okay once I walked it off for a bit, so I went back into the game and played on it. I don't need you all to tell me how gosh darn stupid that was! ;)

Immediately after the game the ankle swelled up to the size of about a half an apple, so I iced it when I got home. The next morning it developed into the size of about half a grapefruit. No black and blueness though, and I've seen and experienced enough injuries in my 24 years of playing this game to know that nothing is broken... just a bad sprain, if you will.

Well, I have an important match coming up on Saturday (today is Tuesday). The swelling is now completely down and I walk & run on it fine, but I get a bit of pain when I point my toe straight out and it feels weak in one area. Plus, if I'm not icing it I have it wrapped. Luckily is is NOT on my favored foot.

What can I do to get this thing ready in, say... 5 days??? Any thoughts on good first-aid and reconditioning techniques?



I did the same thing 3 weeks ago. Since I play 3-5 times a week I wanted to get back on the pitch quickly, but some blood inteh bottom of my foot (purple bruising) and the intense pain in my heel when I tried to cut on the turf made me talk to a doctor.
Here's what he told me:
Don't play on it. While it may feel fine, you damaged your ligaments and tendons too and they have not healed yet.
If your tendons and ligaments aren't allowed to heal and retighten, they will stay loose and will not regain their former strength. What tht means is that your ankle and surrounding tissue will remain damaged, and weak because you didn't allow it to heal correctly.
So do you want to play one game at 60% and cause further damage to your ankle, or do you want to give it time to recover so you can play the rest of your games at 100% and not have to worry about future injuries?

Good luck.

[MarioKempes]

You have to rest your ankle to allow the ligaments (most likely) and/or tendons to heal. Once the swelling is completely gone, wear an ankle brace for 1 month. I would not play again for a month or so, depending on the degree of the sprain.

http://www.physsportsmed.com/issues/1998/10Oct/mckeag.htm

[dela]

So do you want to play one game at 60% and cause further damage to your ankle, or do you want to give it time to recover so you can play the rest of your games at 100% and not have to worry about future injuries?

You have to rest your ankle to allow the ligaments (most likely) and/or tendons to heal. Once the swelling is completely gone, wear an ankle brace for 1 month. I would not play again for a month or so, depending on the degree of the sprain.

Gosh darn you both! ;) j/k
I was hoping you guys would say "ahh, just tape her up, and take it easy, but you'll be okay by Saturday". Urgh.

Like you jammy, I play 3-5 times a week on 4 seperate indoor teams (one of which is with my important and "real" team during our off-season), and my Major's coach was not to fond of me playing with these other 3 "throw-together" teams during the indoor season. Now I have to explain to him that I injured myself playing with a crappy bar-league team and have to miss a month of my important games? CRAP! Not fun.

Oh well, I belive you both and it makes sense so I guess I'll have to deal with it and not play until I know I can be 100%. I'll contact my doctor. Thanks for the input.


BTW - BigSoccer should have a "Sports Medicine" sub-forum under the Players section, no?