Bracing up? (Running related)

[CrazedJava]

I used to run in college. I was never a distance runner but I could easily do 2 miles in 16 minutes and my best mile time was about 7 min 30 seconds. (There was an Army Ranger that could lap me at least once on the 2 mile run, helped keep me humble)

Over the last few years I have started running again off and on. Trying to get serious about it and I was finally starting to make some progress again. I had a 10 minute mile and lost it. Just last week I managed to get it under 13 minutes again and I injured my ankle. Now I am only able to do a brisk walk and it takes me 30 minutes just to do 1.75 miles.

It only hurts right now when I run. I am seriously considering getting an ankle brace because I think it will alleviate the pain. Here's my conundrum though. Many of the people I ran with in college or played racquetball with, once they started wearing a brace it never came off. They had to wear it to every run or every game. Some of them wore their knee braces or ankle braces just walking around campus. This is back in my 20's when my body still bothered to heal at a reasonable rate. I'm pushing 40 hard now and am wondering if wearing a brace now means I'll always have to wear it. Then again, maybe I'm getting old enough that it's just something I'll have to live with.

On the other hand, if I can drop about 20 pounds I'm also thinking that will give my joints some relief. The downside? Exercise is a major part of my weight loss regimen. I feel like I'm in a bit of a Catch-22 right now.

 

[Shorts]

Being a basketball player all my life and a runner as a default workout, don't go to a brace. What you need to do is rehab the ankle.

I had my basketball trainer once crank my ankle up one way and then the other. He asks, does it hurt when I do that? No, I said. He said Hmm, it should. You have loose ligaments. Then proceeded to tape me up for the game. Anyway, point is, my ankles are "loose" from years of basketball abuse, rolling ankles as regular occurrence. What you should work on is strengthening your ankles and feet. Musculoskeletal system is the #1 line of stability and defense to injuries. If your muscles aren't stable, you're not stable.

Work on ankle & leg strenthening, as well as proprioception. Wearing braces only enables weak ROM in all the joints associated with the weak one. You will not have the same strength. You will not have the same ROM. Rehab first. Orthopedic aids last.

 

[Shorts]

I
On the other hand, if I can drop about 20 pounds I'm also thinking that will give my joints some relief. The downside? Exercise is a major part of my weight loss regimen. I feel like I'm in a bit of a Catch-22 right now.

I don't see a downside. I see a you pace yourself and the gains will come naturally. Don't worry, you can do 20lbs. My husband and others here have done more and have done it well. This is a long term proposition, not a sprint. As you lose weight you will be able to do more. As you do more you will continue to lose weight. Be in it for the long haul, do it safely and steadily and you will be fine.

 

[CrazedJava]

Interesting, now I think I see why people who started wearing braces never stopped.

All of my workout equipment is what I own at home. May be time to look into some leg exercises I can do at the house.

I am already down by 20, I need to lose another 20 more. A couple of years ago I dropped 50 pounds but it's slowly been creeping up on me. My goal was 60, so I was pretty close. I've just really struggled the last few months getting under 190.

Had a decent run last night. Backed off when the pain started. I've done the whole re-injury thing and know it puts you out even longer than if you just rest. Still got in 2.25 miles in just over 32 minutes. Getting better and I just did a brisk walk this morning. I hate having to back off just as I was making progress. Very frustrating.

 

[Dredge]

Over the last few years I have started running again off and on. Trying to get serious about it and I was finally starting to make some progress again. I had a 10 minute mile and lost it. Just last week I managed to get it under 13 minutes again and I injured my ankle. Now I am only able to do a brisk walk and it takes me 30 minutes just to do 1.75 miles.

It only hurts right now when I run. I am seriously considering getting an ankle brace because I think it will alleviate the pain. Here's my conundrum though. Many of the people I ran with in college or played racquetball with, once they started wearing a brace it never came off. They had to wear it to every run or every game. Some of them wore their knee braces or ankle braces just walking around campus. This is back in my 20's when my body still bothered to heal at a reasonable rate. I'm pushing 40 hard now and am wondering if wearing a brace now means I'll always have to wear it. Then again, maybe I'm getting old enough that it's just something I'll have to live with.

Have you seen a doctor yet?
Most folks want go see a doctor until the pain is intolerable but getting it taken care of before that time comes is better as it is a shorter recovery time.
You most likely have a soft tissue injury (soft tissue is anything that is not bone) which actually takes longer to heal than a fracture.
Running is most likely not helping as the impact from running on your ankle is what is bothering your ankle.
If you see a doctor, they will most likely tell you to stay off of it and place you in a brace to aid in the healing process b helping to prevent extreme range of motion. It's tough for the body to heal if it is continually aggravated by doing that which makes it hurt.
You have to give your body time to heal or it will not.
Wearing a brace does not mean you will become dependent upon it.
If you choose to get a brace on your own and not seek the opinion of a doctor, don't bother with the elastic or neoprene sleeves that are readily available at the sporting goods stores. Get a canvas lace-up type with figure-8 straps to help control your ankle. The elastic sleeves and such only give compression but do not control motion. When wearing them, remember that snug is good and loose is wrong. The device is worn over a sock and not directly on the skin.

 

[Shorts]

Interesting, now I think I see why people who started wearing braces never stopped.

All of my workout equipment is what I own at home. May be time to look into some leg exercises I can do at the house.

I am already down by 20, I need to lose another 20 more. A couple of years ago I dropped 50 pounds but it's slowly been creeping up on me. My goal was 60, so I was pretty close. I've just really struggled the last few months getting under 190.

Had a decent run last night. Backed off when the pain started. I've done the whole re-injury thing and know it puts you out even longer than if you just rest. Still got in 2.25 miles in just over 32 minutes. Getting better and I just did a brisk walk this morning. I hate having to back off just as I was making progress. Very frustrating.

I get that. And just when the weather is finally cooling down too, Making for some real nice run days. If you feel like you are stalling, switch up the workout. Your body has adapted and likely plateaued on that type of workout and needs to be shaken up.

For the ankle, you can back off the running and still exercise. Substitute non-impact body weight workouts for the meanwhile. Also work on ankle strengthening. A real easy way is with bands. I use them to do ankle only exercises. Google "ankle strengthening" and it will bring up lots of exercises. For example the first exercise you don't even need a band. Sit on the floor or couch, hold your foot off the ground and draw the alphabet with your foot. Sounds simple, but you'd be surprised how bad your 'handwriting' is at first lol. Do them lower case, then do them upper case. This greatly increases proprioception and precise movement. This translates into being able to put your foot down in good form when running so it isn't tilted or lands funny and gets rolls again. Also works ROM & light muscle strength. There are other exercises to work plantar flexion and extension, plus pronation and supination of the foot which is a very big factor in the ankles ability to stay upright. Also to maintain good foot impact when running. Be sure to stretch your calves and achilles too.

If you're getting pain go ahead and RICE it for a few days at least. After that, keep it warm and do those ankle exercises. Use warm water & epsom salt in a bucket to help the aches. Take it easy and gradually work back up. This ought to give your foot time to rest and heal, get a little stronger and hopefully alleviate the likely sprain you've got.

For body weight exercises I use some of the P90X workouts as my strength work here at home. I've run through the program before, so now I use it to pick out certain days on the arms or legs. I don't have any equipment other than bands and dumbbells. But I manage to maintain my fitness and weight. Don't get me wrong, I love getting into a fully equipped gym to get on the racks move weight. But it isn't always possible, especially with no gym membership lol

Aside from the running, consider adding in a HIIT day or two. It's a nice crosstrain that bumps up the intensity on the muscles which in turn leads to growth & strength of lean muscle, which burns calories. Also it gives your joints/legs a day to recover from the pounding of the jogs. This can shake up that plateau to get the weight loss going again.

Don't get discouraged though. You're doing fine. Work through the ankle injury, get it back up to speed and keep going forward.

 

[grasshopperglock]

Were getting old. Im 41 and hit the gym 5 days a week. I strength train. I can relate in the pain. I pulled the crap out of tendon in my right forearm. I still excercise the arm. Just not that tendon. I also brace the hell up.

No one is gonna take away your man card cuz you wear a brace. Or switch to cycling or a machine. Its ok to grow old. Its ok to switch things up when it hurts.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free