Ankle sprain - ok to cycle?

fenris

Does anyone know if it is okay to cycle gently with a sprained ankle?
Good bit of swelling above the bone on the outside, but movement is only sore for the first few flexes. I just want to keep the mobility.
I took some nerve damage and cannot really trust the pain bit, so I am not sure if generally speaking a little bit of cycling is a good or bad thing - google has just make this worse :-)

cowzerp

Gentle low resistance cycle training should be o'k! but make sure that there is no additional damage done to the joint or the muscles etc..avoid impact and high resistance too. get a physio's go ahead ideally..every case is unique

fenris

Thanks - when someone else writes it it becomes blindingly obvious

cunnins4

I'd tend to say no, only because I did the same thing and it took AGES to get better. Hurt it on the Friday, kept training on that session on the bike - Went out training on the bike a few days later, while still cycling to work, then did a Triathlon on it and it wouldn't go away for weeks and was very weak. Then I put the final nail in the coffin when I went running a couple of weeks later and the whole thing just went from under me - no training for 2 months.

Mind you, you're just talking about cycling, I was running and swimming with the same so take what you want from it. Now I ice things like that and let them heal before I do anything. It just isn't worth it-especially since the cycling season's over and it's only base miles during the winter.

rubadub

You can cycle more with the good foot. If you have clipin shoes this is easier too, since you can pull the pedal upwards with the good foot, which assists the bad foot pressing down. I once pedalled home around 3 miles with only one pedal, the whole crank arm broke off on the other side.

I would rest it unless needed, e.g. I cycle to work and would continue to do so with a sprain, just slow & careful.

Rogueish

Get it checked out by a qualified therapist. The can advise on a rehabilitation and treatment programme to help speed up your recovery. Yes an ankle sprain will eventually heal itself but what you want to do is minimize the chances of the injury reoccurring and this is done by completing a full rehabilitation programme.

If there is nerve damage some neural mobilisations and sliding techniques can stop the nerve adhering to the healing tissues.

If the sprain is very bad i.e. a syndesmosis sprain or what the americans call a high ankle sprain, you are looking at a longer rehabilitation protocol and possibly a decrease in end range dorsiflexion (pulling your toes upwards) due to a slight rotation or movement on the tail of the tibia or fibula when the ankle ligaments were stretched. With a syndesmosis sprain in many cases the capsule of the ankle joint swells and can be pinched at the back of the ankle deep to the achilles when the toes are pointed downwards. If this has happened cycling may cause pinching of the structures. Some mobilisation techniques applied by a qualified therapist can decrease your pain and direct your rehabilitation programme.

Other exercises such as strengthening the peroneal, calf and tibialis muscles can help reduce the chances of this reoccurring. Proprioception exercises (balancing) are advisable too to make sure that the muscles 'kick in' at the right time to keep you balanced.