hiromian

Sprained my ankle today. Dr. says it will be weeks before I can train again. My training program was going great untill now. He said it was 3rd degree. I have full movement so 3rd sounds odd. Any one wana share their recovery stories. I want to be ready for the spring series in May.

urbanknight

Htfu?

triplebutted

If you lived back in the northeast, you can't even get a real ride outdoors until March. How's that for looking at the bright side?

hiromian

I'm 48 so I don't know what Htfu means? Does it mean Heavy tits, fruitfull udders?

hiromian

I'm feeling better already.

Brian Ratliff

Harden the F'k Up.

Anyway, listen to your doctor more than the internet, but I'd get back on the bike as soon as I could stand the pain of pedaling. Cycling is non-impact and using the joint (rather than letting it sit wrapped up) is essential at some point in the healing process so you don't loose range of motion. Talk to your doctor about it. Tell him (or her) that you want to keep training and ask him what you can do to accommodate it. Perhaps you can wrap it for a while to keep the joint stable or just run low gears.

Point being, you should be able, at some point short of being fully healed, to pedal your bike. Sprains are a ***** though and they heal slowly. Good luck.

wfrogge

Tape it then ride. HTFU

JoesInBoston

I had a mild ankle sprain about 7 months ago. If I remember correctly, I stayed off completely for about 5 days, then worked my way back into my usual routine over the next week. It hurt more to unclip than it did to actually pedal.

PhillyRoadie

No. But perhaps it should...

wfrogge

Those would be the result of not HTFU.

merlinextraligh

I'd ask your Doctor if you can do some alternative workouts in the interim. Swimming? Some gym work? particularly focusing on core.

Not the same as riding, but might help you keep you overall fitness up until you can start riding again.

Metzinger

You've still got full movement because the ligament is torn through. You'd have less mobility with a 2nd degree.

People here say HTFU because it makes them feel cool.

Be careful with your ankle. Don't rush it. You'll be sorry if you do. Ice it MORE than seems necessary.

grolby

Incorrect.

ggatsby

sprained my ankle really bad a while ago. I couldn't walk on it for a good 5 days. I also didn't get it checked by a doctor and now it's permanently tilted my food slightly inward. Just make sure you get it splinted if it's needed.

AlexTaylor

Blimey, do you have trouble eating now?

Racer Ex 

Sprains can be worse than breaks in the ankle. Make sure if you have any range of motion issues that you get some rehab. I got one that's permanently limited. You can race with this injury BTW, but only motorcycles.

Ice/heat if it's not fresh (+48 hrs) otherwise ice. Mine was really bad and took about 3 weeks. Hit the rowing machine if you can to keep the cardio up.

Get well.

umd

Recovery stories....

In 2007 I got hit by a car and tore something in my ankle. I couldn't walk without a severe limp but after a few days I could ride well enough. In 2008, almost to the day, I got hit by another car and broke some ribs but still competed in Everest Challenge. A few days later I broke my collarbone and within two weeks I was riding outside again.

Hezz

If you go to a physical therapist they would probably have you do some very light exercises with little or no resistance combined with some ultrasound treatments or something.

If there is still inflammation you can do cold pack treatments for a while. When the inflammation goes down you can soak your foot in the hot jacuzzi at the gym to stimulate blood flow which aids in healing to some degree.

It's best to stay off it completely for 2-3 days then while supported you could do some stuff with it.

Here's some ideas: These are things a physical therapist might do.

Cross train doing things with upper body and sit ups. Things that don't put much strain on the ankle. You might try wearing a snowboarding boot to do these exercises in to support the ankle so it is not reinjured. You might be able to ride a stationary bike with no resistance at slow speed with a taped ankle. Not so much for increased fitness but to help speed up ankle recovery. Or by pedaling with the arch of your foot instead of the ball of your foot to reduce ankle strain.

You might try putting on some ski boots (heavy and will support the ankle) when all the swelling is gone and get on a stationary bike with platform pedals and crank out some higher wattage time with the seat set a little lower. This will keep upper thighs and hips in shape but you won't be able to pivot at the ankle and will be lifting the weight of the ski boot with every revolution to build strength. This will stabilize the ankle so no further injury occurs but don't buckle it up too tight.

I would do a combination of all these things. Also, swimming with a taped ankle might be a good cross training exercise.

The more you can exercise the rest of your body without reinjuring the ankle the faster it will heal. If you do nothing it will take longer to heal and unless it is in a cast you are going to be exercising it a little bit anyway just from walking around. It's true that it may take several weeks to get back 100% but you could probably be back riding the bike in 2-4 weeks if you are careful. Pedaling is probably less stress on the ankle joint than walking is. So long as you are not trying to do high wattage or sprints.

dysFTP

If yer gonna be hurt, now is the time of year.

bostongarden

If you get to a point where you are going absolutely nuts, try some one-leg cycling...

Greg180

X is right again. I failed to properly treat a sprain in my twenties and after eight months of reoccurring problems the doc put a walking cast my ankle for four weeks to keep me off it. It healed but today it is arthritic.

hiromian

Thanks for all the kind words. It's been 6 days. I stayed off it, iced, 600mg Iboprophin 2X a day, taped it, swam lots and did core work outs and leg machine workouts. Tomorow I see the physio therapist. I'll be in better shape for a triathalon...yikes.

hiromian

From now on it does- for me anyay. Htfu is the same as Man Up where I come from.