Ankle Sprain

[spatzcat]

so.....I sprained my ankle, 3 weeks ago this Monday. I would like to say I was doing something awesome when this happened, but I was running up the stairs, skipping steps because I was in a hurry, and well, there you go.

 

So, as far as sprains go, yes it was so painful when it happened I almost puked and passed out, but, i did not tear anything, or fracture anything. A minor bruise occurred, I did not require crutches to walk.

 

I still have some minor swelling, some mobility issues - I am trying to do some gentle stretching to help this out. Tendons feel tight. 

 

I am doing some physio @ home, using some bands for some resistance, farmer walks with light weights on tippy toes, calf raises....

 

Here is my question, when I can i start running again? It does not hurt when I run, - I put my shoes on and ran in circles in my basement like the caged animal i feel like, and it did not feel uncomfortable.

 

I would like to do 1 or 2km tonight, thinking that it may help me out, get the blood flowing, stretch things out, just a light run.

 

thoughts?

[DELETED]

what does your doctor say? 

[spatzcat]

I only went for an xray to make sure nothing major was done. I told her when it happened, that I had a 5k run on Sept 22, and I was concerned that I would not be okay for it, she said she could not see it being an issue, and that I would be fine for the race....I also told her that the weekend after that, I would be sprinting as a zombie in run for your lives, she also brushed that off with no concerns.

[DELETED]

they didn't give you any kind of guidelines tho? like "rest if for 3 weeks" or anything like that?  i had a sprain back in middle school and they were adamant "crutches for 6 weeks" (which of course i didn't exactly do and still have problems with my ankle).  but i was also told it was a "severe sprain" and they were surprised nothing was torn or broken because the sprain was so bad, so maybe that's why they were so much more defined in their advice with me?

 

if your doc wasn't concerned, and you really think you're ok, it's probably ok.  personally, i'd probably still wear some kind of ankle support just to be on the safe side and do a short run close to home to start.  that's my im-not-a-doctor opinion.

 

and best of luck in your upcoming races!

 

edit: changed hope to home because home is what it was supposed to say...

[spatzcat]

yeah, my gut is telling me a short, slow 1k around the block could do some good. I think i will give it a go. Besides, runners fix most things with duck tape no? sigh, could be worse, I could be benched with a fracture. focus on the positive!

[franchise]

Listen to your body. If it feels like you can do it, do it, but don't push yourself. Sprains take a while to heal, and it is VERY easy to re-do if you haven't given it enough time to heal. Be careful!! You're the one that has to decide if it's worth possibly reinjuring it, maybe even worse than the original sprain.

And I say this is as someone with a VERY nasty ankle sprain right now that has a tendency to suck it up more than I should...