Both of my ankles have become painful over the past few weeks.
I suspect that this is due to the force applied to them when dropping my heels on descents along with impacts that they soak up when my shock compresses - I've been riding a full sus since May. All hardtails before then.
I have also been running again over the summer but this usually bothers my knees rather than anything else.
Is ankle pain an side effect of riding a full sus on flat pedals or am I just getting old?
Every one is different, but I've never heard of it being a symptom of dropping heels, far more likely to be from your running.
Are you wearing decent running shoes? How often do you change them? It's amazing how I start to get wee twinges when my shoes start to go, I don't do more than 300 miles a pair now.
Fairly new running shoes - 107.5km of use according to Strava. Nike Pegasus Trail. 1st pair I've had so they could be to blame but they feel good whilst running.
Has this been since before the shoes, or since you started wearing them?.
Have you put on weight?
I had both my ankles (ligaments) rebuilt. The one thimg guaranteed to cause ankle pain is excess weight.
6'3" and anything over 13 stone is a no-no. Below is fine. Even a pound or two makes a difference (won't go into the physics).
Running should be fine too - there's actually lower incidence of knee and ankle damage in long term runners than the general population as long as the weight is right.
Basically, are you becoming a big fatty bombatty? 🙂
Ha. Despite my increase in alcohol intake this year, I'm no fatty. 12.5 stone and 6f 1.
According to my clever scales, I've lost muscle mass though - no squats in the gym since March.
The pain came after the shoes but the shoes arrived around the same time as the bike.
The pain occurs when my feet flex upwards - this only happens in the real world when soaking up bumps on the bike or running up steep hills.
I notice my ankles getting a workout when I ride my hardtail, whilst they have a much easier life on the full-sus. So I’d suggest that something else is causing the problem.
If it's on both ankles, it could be a symptom of hamstring tightness too, the ankle only being where you feel it.
I’ve lost muscle mass though – no squats in the gym since March.
Do you do any exercises still or stretches? could be a tight muscle somewhere in your lower half but showing through this ankle pain.
Hamstrings are tight! The joys of sitting a tiny desk whilst working at home for 6 months.
I'll make more of an effort to stretch and see how I get on.
Cheers
How does this ankle pain manifest? Front? Inside, outside? Achilles?
Achilles and the outside of the ankle - also feels like ligaments to me.
I've moved to a barefoot style for ordinary shoes but not quite managed full barefoot for running, just in transition shoes currently. I some times get Achilles issues but find a few alfredson protocol exercises help. They're basically calf stretches with more load than you'd imagine giving something that bothers you.
It's definitely not plantar.
Barefoot running would destroy my knees. Calf stretches are in interesting one. I include calf raises is my workout route. With no gym, this has been on my stairs with dumbbells in hand.
I'm guessing the running is more likely aiding this pain than a full suspension bike (which should be providing more cushioning as it is full suspension).
Stretching will hopefully help...
