Ankle Strengthening Exercises - Still swollen after 8 months!

montytheferret

Can anybody recommend ankle strengthening exercises? Link to a website or a recommended book that would have this?

I sprained my ankle playing football about 8 months ago and its still swollen!

When looking down at the feet, one of the ankles still looks a fair bit bigger than the other... and its feels a bit different too. I had been wearing an ankle support for a few months after the event.

Thanks.

JJayoo

Have the same thing on my right ankle. Pretty sure its scar tissue from repeatly twisting my ankle at football. Causes no pain but has seriously reduced the flexibility on my right ankle.

Glowing

Have you seen a physio?

Burkatron

montytheferret wrote: »

Can anybody recommend ankle strengthening exercises? Link to a website or a recommended book that would have this?

I sprained my ankle playing football about 8 months ago and its still swollen!

When looking down at the feet, one of the ankles still looks a fair bit bigger than the other... and its feels a bit different too. I had been wearing an ankle support for a few months after the event.

Thanks.

After 8 months I doubt it's swelling. Is it still painful? Ideally you need to see professional.

Excercises to start with would be alphabet writing. When sitting use your big toe as an imaginary pen & write the alphabet in capital letters & then small letters. Build it up to doing multiples of it.

The ankle brace if you can do without, get rid of it, it is only going to weaken already dysfunctional muscles

Other then that I wouldn't be doing anything else till you have it reassessed

Larianne

Go to your doctor.

d'Oracle

Glowing wrote: »

Have you seen a physio?

Very much agree with this.

Catxscotch

This happened to me, I tore the ligaments in my ankle so often the swelling just remained. I had to go for reconstructive surgery on the ligaments in September, and am learning how to walk again.
The swelling is as another poster said-dead tissue. I had so much the surgeon had to remove alot of it. A physio will be able to put an ultrasound on your ankle, that will reduce the swelling. They will also give you the exercises to do. I know they are expensive (Im paying 60 per hour) but they are definitely worth it. If I had seen a physio more regularly, I wouldn't have had to have surgery.
Exercises I am doing are heel raises, stretches, lunges and balance work. For you it would be working with a pressure strip, basically tying a elasticated band around your foot and making your ankle fight against the pull.. Balance is also hugely important.

Burkatron

Catxscotch wrote: »

This happened to me, I tore the ligaments in my ankle so often the swelling just remained. I had to go for reconstructive surgery on the ligaments in September, and am learning how to walk again.
The swelling is as another poster said-dead tissue. I had so much the surgeon had to remove alot of it. A physio will be able to put an ultrasound on your ankle, that will reduce the swelling. They will also give you the exercises to do. I know they are expensive (Im paying 60 per hour) but they are definitely worth it. If I had seen a physio more regularly, I wouldn't have had to have surgery.
Exercises I am doing are heel raises, stretches, lunges and balance work. For you it would be working with a pressure strip, basically tying a elasticated band around your foot and making your ankle fight against the pull.. Balance is also hugely important.

That sucks Catxscotch. I avulsed the ligaments in my right ankle in 07, it took me a year before I could run again & 2 years before I could turn on my ankle when running,it sucked! Good luck with your rehab.

That said these are excercises prescribed to you. The OP should not do any weight bearing excercises till given the all clear by a professional!

groovyg

Have you tried arnica tablets and rubbing arnica gel on it. It just takes down the swelling it doesn't stop you going over on them

Exercises I have done in the past to strengthen the ankles are standing on one leg, Hold for 30 seconds, and then work up to one minute per leg.
If you have never done this before you leg will probably shake a good bit but you just build up until you leg gets tired.
When you have built up to that you can comfortably stand for one minute without shaking and your leg getting tired you can try the same exercise using a cushion.
Then build up to doing it with your eyes closed. There are also exercises using the thermaband and wobble board but I find the balance exercises the toughest to do.

Brian?

Glowing wrote: »

Have you seen a physio?

This. You need to see a medical professional. Thread locked.