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I have hypermobility in most joints, as a result I've sprained both ankles far more then I care to remember. However, since the last one I've had constant pain in my right ankle/heel/foot area.
I've been to an Osteo who in the past has made it feel much better (I know some people think it's snake oil, but it really worked when the problem was muscular).
It feels like there's a tendon/ligament pulling on the heel bone on the inside and outside of the ankle joint. It's uncomfortable all the time and getting to really annoy me.
As a dog owner I regularly do 10k steps a day, more at the weekends.
I'm looking for options of what to do next, focus on calf strength and flexibility, speak to a GP, magic crystals and incantations... Anything anyone has that has worked for them in similar situations?
I realise I'm not at WCA levels of ankle problems by the way, no no suggestions of fusing the joints please!
IME as a GP, when soft tissue injuries are taking a long time to heal, it's generally because they're not being rested for long enough.
Not a sprained ankle but I smashed up my right foot almost two years ago, broken metatarsals and dislocated the ball of my foot, operation to put the joint back in. The broken bones healed very quickly and haven't given me any trouble, the dislocation still causes discomfort now. It's still improving but most likely only because I still see a physio every 6-8 weeks who basically tortures me each visit 😀 and I continue with my at home exercises.
Soft tissue damage repairs at a glacial pace.
It took over a year for my sprained ankle to fully heal because I kept using it and never let it properly recover
I did a controlled experiment on this falling off a cliff 20 years ago, breaking one ankle and badly spraining the other. Broken one hurt more at the time but made a full recovery, sprained one - long slow over years plateauing curve and still hurts from time to time (but doesn't restrict activities).
I have hypermobility in most joints, as a result I’ve sprained both ankles far more then I care to remember. However, since the last one I’ve had constant pain in my right ankle/heel/foot area.
What are you doing in terms of rehab? Putting the hypermobility on one side, you possibly have two things going on, maybe more. First will be whatever damage you've done to ligaments / tendons with your multiple sprains. The other issue is probably reduced proprioception - basically your body being able to sense where it is in space - which will contribute to further sprains because essentially you're not catching a turning ankle fast enough to correct things and avoid a full-on sprain.
I'd be booking in to see a decent sports physio with a view to getting some exercises to both improve strength in the area and also to rebuild proprioception - wobble boards are the classic - plus they should also be able to show you how to tape your ankle in such a way that you get a bit more support and improved proprioception via skin sensation as the tape pulls on it. Sorry, I doubt that makes sense, but it does seem to be how it works. You probably ought to also make sure you've not managed to tear off a bone chip or similar in your last sprain.
I've had a left ankle made of limp spaghetti since I was a teenager and sprained it badly playing rugby, then again running, then again mountaineering etc etc... it got gradually worse until I actually did some proper work on it. I'm absolutely not a medic or physio, but the above's what I've gleaned over time. I think we have a tendency to just assume soft tissue injuries will simply heal themselves, but it can be a slow process and it's not always just a case of stuff knitting back together and everything being back to normal. That's my take anyway.
How long since “the last one”?
It's a good question, but I think it before Jan21 as I went to the osteo then to get it looked at, but realistically this ankle and foot has been bad for years, I did the 3 peaks about 10 years ago and this foot was screwed for a long time after that too.
My ankles have been bad since I sprained both at one while in junior school, in 46 now. At the time I jumped on a tree stump, put both feet just far enough over the edge to roll both at the same time, I can still remember crying heavily with the pain.
You probably ought to also make sure you’ve not managed to tear off a bone chip or similar in your last sprain.
Is that an x-ray via a minor injuries clinic, I have no idea with this sort of stuff.