Ankle pain

[ZMT588]

For about a month or so I was running 3-5 miles per day at a 8-9 minute pace. I know not crazy but it’s what I was doing. With a little strength training in between. Anyway I recently almost stopped my running all together too work on a bit more strength training and I tried for a run today. I had severe ankle pain when running on the back of my ankle. I couldn’t even make it 1/8 mile! It was bad. I tried too keep going but I had to turn around and come home too ride my stationary. Anyone have thoughts on how to alleviate the pain? I can imagine I injured anything. I can walk and ride my bike fine. I wear good running shoes but I’m thinking it might be time for a new pair. Any thought or suggestions would be appreciated!

 

[P Carter]

Where precisely was the pain? Achilles (squarely in the back of the foot), right behind the ball of the ankle on the inside, elsewhere? Some of us may be able to weigh in but will need more info. Also, how long (ie how many months or years) and how consistently have you been running?

 

[ZMT588]

Achilles area. Towards the bottom. I’ve been physically active my whole life. Did tons of running in high school for wrestling and continued to run about 15 miles per month for the past couple years. Just recently did I do a big push and started upping distance and how often. The last month I hit it a little harder doing 3-5 a day with some strength training days thrown together. Just recently I’ve taken about 4-5 days off from running to focus on strength training and was riding my bike for about 45 mins inside in place of running. Then decided to do my workout at a park that’s probably 1/2 or 3/4 miles away and I could barely make it a block my ankles were hurting so bad. I can walk around fine no problem. Jumping right now I can feel a little pain but nothing crazy but I think that’s due to me trying to run today otherwise I was feeling pretty good until the attempted run lol.

 

[P Carter]

I’m not too much help with Achilles stuff. I tend to get tweaks when ramping up mileage. This year I had a touch of pain where the Achilles inserted into my heel, a first for me. Ice, very gentle stretching, and changing shoe models helped for me. (I had gone to a shoe model with a knit upper that is popular now and it didn’t work.) I kept running but the pain was more of an annoyance and never progressed to real pain.

Sorry, I don’t have much experience with Achilles stuff. My only advice would be ice, light stretches,
self massage, and keep active on it but don’t try to tough it out if it continues to hurt bad.

 

[ZMT588]

I came home and rode my bike instead. Afterward I took a quick jog around the yard outside too really see where it was hurting and it felt a little less painful. Hoping that it might just be inflamed. Definitely looking at new shoes this weekend. I’ll give it a couple days off from running too let them heal up and try running again with new shoes and report back.

 

[Coach Chris]

My guess is either plantar fasciitis or Achilles tendinitis.
Either way the treatment is pretty much the same, i.e. rest, avoid activities that irritate it, strengthen your calf muscles particularly Soleus and have your shoes/stride checked out.
Soft tissue work could also be helpful.

 

[ZMT588]

ex

My guess is either plantar fasciitis or Achilles tendinitis.
Either way the treatment is pretty much the same, i.e. rest, avoid activities that irritate it, strengthen your calf muscles particularly Soleus and have your shoes/stride checked out.
Soft tissue work could also be helpful.

Thanks! I’m really hoping it’s something like that. Like I said it’s both ankles so I highly doubt that I injured both at the same time. Equal pain in both as well. I’ll rest em up and stick to my bike. Define soft tissue work?

 

[Coach Chris]

Define soft tissue work?

Massage, self massage, PT, heat, ice, etc...

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