Health Topic: weak ankles, ankle braces, etc.

[Miss Mary]

Medical questions for fellow S2K members:

Does anyone else also have weak ankles?

Have you sprained them so many times you've lost count?

If you answered yes, what preventative care have you implemented? Do you now wear braces? And if so, are they complicated ones or do you know of a very simple, slip inside your sock type brace, that you'd recommend?

I sprained my ankle 2 weeks ago. I posted about it so some of you probably know I've been hobbling around. I went to a doc last week, diagnosis was no fracture but a bad sprain. He sold me a Rocket Sock (black velcro thing, with 5 straps, goes inside your shoe), I must wear it for 4 weeks and do daily ankle/calf strengthening exercises twice a day. I'm actually healing well and walking at semi-slow normal pace, one foot in front of the other, in other words. That's a big step, pun intended, in the right direction.

I vowed this will be my last sprain, I've done this so many times I've lost count (at least 10 times since my late 20s). I'm buying a good, quality pair of real hiking boots that I'll wear from now on walking the dog (when I fell). I just don't care anymore if that looks odd. Doc said if I had been wearing a good pair, I would have done minimal damage. Ugh, now I realize that. You see my problem is that my ankles just turn on me, usually out. Roll to the side. Just a lovely trait to have! Not! I also promised myself to do the ankle/calf exercises everyday too, from now on.

I announced to my entire family - this is my LAST sprain. It really sets me back! I'm still mad I did this. I have a cheap pair of hiking boots I could have worn but it's work lacing them up. You get lazy and slip on ordinary gym shoes. Never again. Meanwhile our dog is getting lazy, since I'm bribing my kids to walk her. Another story, another topic. LOL

Thanks to anyone who responds. I'd love to really also find a simple insert in the sock brace, that's invisible. I don't want to announce to the world I'm wearing braces! Geez, only 49 here. LOL

Mary

[j]

Sprained my right ankle really bad when I was 16 playing basketball. Pain I will never forget. It has never recovered and is always swollen and lovely shades of purple nearly 20 years later.

The ankle re-sprains with ease..walking talking..or chewing gum. Luckily, I've never turned it upside down like that first time, but w/o exxageration, have probably sprained that same ankle 20 times.

Doctor told me I would have been better off breaking it.

[Lindaloo]

Sprained my right ankle really bad when I was 16 playing basketball. Pain I will never forget. It has never recovered and is always swollen and lovely shades of purple nearly 20 years later.

The ankle re-sprains with ease..walking talking..or chewing gum. Luckily, I've never turned it upside down like that first time, but w/o exxageration, have probably sprained that same ankle 20 times.

Doctor told me I would have been better off breaking it.

If that is still obvious 20 years later then you have poor circulation in that ankle due to the sprains. Not good j. Your doc is right about the breaking theory.

[j]

The way I did it, I doubt wrapping my ankle in duck tape would have prevented the sprain. A big moose of a guy came down with all his weight off a rebound..we were both in the air and I came down a split second before him.

However..I do on occasion, depending on what I'm doing, put the brace on and wrap with white hockey tape, but for everyday kind of stuff like golf bowling or bedroom activities....I skip it.

Linda....kind of has that vericose (sp?) vein look to it. My wife says its very ugly thank you.

[Miss Mary]

OUCH! j, wow, that sprain sounds like my nasty one 10 years ago. But luckily that sprain caused a hairline fracture and I wore a cast for 8 weeks. But it was the size of a softball that time. This time, golf ball. I wish I had a doozy of a story like you have, but I don't. My sprains have all resulted from trying to step over toys on the steps, and thinking you're on a step but you're not, wearing high heels (I don't think you have that problem j, LOL), or just going up and down the steps way too fast. You have your socks on and begin slipping, before you know it, you've turned an ankle over or under trying to still stand up.

I think I need a ranch, not a 2 story home!

But my sprains have never caused bruising 20 years later j. That sounds painful. I've had twinges of pain in the ankle I broke (the one I twisted this time) when it's about to rain or snow heavily. That old wives tale seems to be true.

So I guess my question is do you wear protective gear? If you joked about duct tape not even being strong enough, I'm guessing you take your chances.

I'm thru taking chances. I've been known to go down hills on my bottom, b/c I know it's just a sprain waiting to happen. Jim has a picture of me doing this in Kauai, hiking in Waimea Canyon. I said no way am I walking down this hill! I think I need to start doing that again. LOL

Mary

PS - oops, re-read your last post j. No need to answer my last question now. Didn't know about Hockey tape. Maybe I'll look into that.

[Lindaloo]

The way I did it, I doubt wrapping my ankle in duck tape would have prevented the sprain. A big moose of a guy came down with all his weight off a rebound..we were both in the air and I came down a split second before him.

However..I do on occasion, depending on what I'm doing, put the brace on and wrap with white hockey tape, but for everyday kind of stuff like golf bowling or bedroom activities....I skip it.

Linda....kind of has that vericose (sp?) vein look to it. My wife says its very ugly thank you.

A deputy sheriff has that same prob. Poor circulation in both ankles. He had surgery on one and it did not help.

[Stephanie]

I used to sprain my ankles alot when I was in school. **Knocks on wood**

I had one really bad one - I was playing baseball in the street and the first and third bases were trees on opposite sides of the street and the second base may have been a rock. I hit the ball and ran to first where my right foot landed halfway on and halfway off the curb and I turned. I literally crawled up my driveway to get in the house. Missed school a few days.

Would walking around with an ace bandage help? They make them for specific areas of the body - wrists, knees, elbows and ankles. I think Dr. Scholl's has them. That may give you some support.

I'm glad that you're getting better. I'm keeping everything crossed that THIS IS your last sprain!

[breeze]

Miss Mary, I'm a neurology nurse, so, orthopedics
is out of my specialty. But, the excercises
are designed to build strength in the weak points
in the ankle, and, doing them religiously will ensure
less occurences of sprains as the muscles become
strengthened. Hang in there! You're on the right
road - and, I wish you NO MORE SPRAINS!

[streetsoldier]

Lately (within the last three years), my ankles have become somewhat weakened; my solution is to obtain a decent pair of boots...Cordura/leather construction with at least an 8" height that have extra support at the juncture of the foot/ankle, and can be removed/put on quickly.

Haven't got them yet...still trying.

[streetsoldier]

MIRABILE DICTU!!!

Coppertop (unbeknownst to me) persuaded Debi to order a pair of ROCKY "Fort Hood" boots for my use for Father's Day.

They are waterproof, have a polyurethane-padded collar and Cordura 1100-denier/top-grain leather 8" upper, 6 "D" ring/two eyelet lacing with paracord laces, steel shanks, chemical sheet box toe and heel counter and "Sierra" cleat rubber soles; just what the "doctor" ordered!

As soon as they arrive, I should be able to take Annabelle (she be a ho') on one of her infamous "long walks"...

[Stephanie]

What a great gift Bill!

[streetsoldier]

Stephanie, I can barely contain myself; this morning's "constitutional" with Annabelle (she be a ho') was an exercise in PAIN...especially on the uneven streets and ground she seems to prefer when "going 'side".

Those boots will be, literally, a "lifesaver"...plus they can be worn year-round with the addition of a Gore-Tex outer sock/"bootie" and polypropylene ECWCS inner sock liners.