I busted up my ankle pretty good on Wednesday May 3rd while scrimmaging with the U13 team I help coach.  I made a beautiful spin move — as I was running across the field towards the right side line, I stopped the ball with my R foot and rolled it 180 degrees back towards the center.  As I reversed direction to go to where the ball was, my R leg got stuck under R2’s R leg, which had just firmly planted at full speed where he thought the ball was going to be.  My full weight at full speed was going the opposite direction, my R ankle was fully planted, and so the ankle inverted.  I heard a snap, but the kids said they did not, so maybe it was one of those “psychological sounds.”

Instantly the R ankle looked like baseball.  Two of the kids had to carry me off the field.  (It was one of the rare times when I was the only adult out there!)  I had to call in other parents to come get me, and they immediately stepped up to get kids where they needed to be, get me to the ER Ortho, etc.

I did feel a bit rushed by the Ortho team.  We arrived at 7:15, they typically close at 7:30, and they had me out the door by 7:45.   The diagnosis was not 100% definitive, but it was “likely not a break” based on the x-ray.  But based on the physical exam, the doc wasn’t 100% sure.  They put me in a boot and set a follow up for 3 weeks later.

Pic on R is night of, L is next morning.

Here’s the pretty colors on Saturday night, 3 days later…

I wasn’t happy with the 3 week follow up, so moved it up to 6 days on Tuesday.  On Monday I had mostly ditched the boot and just wrapped it with either an ace bandage and/or a compression brace.  I also spun on the trainer for 15 minutes which felt really good — I had a lot more mobility after that.

Then I saw the doctor on Tuesday a.m., six days after the initial injury, and here’s what I wrote to my coach:

First, he said he was surprised I wasn’t casted when I came in after the injury, he would have put me in a cast for two weeks immediately and then done a re-eval. Today’s diagnosis is a R ankle inversion sprain / severe sprain of the calcaneo fibular ligament. Likely tore perineal retinaculum and other tissue.

Second, he said I was a week or two ahead of where he’d like me — see #1 above. He’d prefer me still in the boot for another week, but did give me an ankle brace with a lot more lateral support than what I’ve been wearing (compression brace and/or ace bandage). He feels like any lateral movement is going to continue to strain the ligament as well as the perineal muscle. He was able to get a lot of movement in the ankle that shouldn’t be there — i.e. the torn ligament is allowing much too much movement and his concern is that long term if I don’t let it heal properly, it’s like to sprain again and again. I’ve sprained my ankles twice in my life, both in soccer and once almost 30 years ago, even with all the trail running and off trail running (orienteering, rogaining, adventure racing).

Can start PT immediately (appt Thursday already scheduled) with non-weight bearing and advance as tolerated. I could tell he wasn’t 100% sold on me spinning on the trainer already, but said as long as there’s no lateral or fwd/bkwd movement of the ankle, it shouldn’t be an issue. I think since it helped mobility so much yesterday it’s a no brainer to at least continue doing it lightly!

Both oral and local anti-inflammatories prescribed. Massage from toes to above ankle a couple of times a day to help inflammation subside.

So there you go… I’ll start PT in a couple days.  I’ll spin on the trainer as long as it doesn’t cause any discomfort and seems beneficial.  And hopefully I’ll be back soon, and stronger than ever!  🙂